Against All Logic
by HarlequinEnigma896
Summary: What could logic have to do with emotions? Everything, it would seem. Spock/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, so… I'm officially bad. I've been planning to do more writings within the Batman Begins/Dark Knight universe, but after watching Star Trek, I just couldn't help myself.**

**An explanation:**

**As can be easily deduced, I have decided to use an OC in this story. Why? Well, not because I wasn't completely in love with Uhura and Spock, but because I felt like it might be fun to see things play out with someone different; I also feel like this decision gives me a chance to better explore Spock. Yay!**

**Now, onward!****Disclaimer: I do not, nor will I ever own Star Trek. Any original characters, however, are mine.**_**Against all Logic: Chapter One**_

* * *

She hadn't _needed_ to be to her first class until 8:15 in the morning; that she knew very well. However, arriving half an hour early to her Advanced Vulcan Studies class had just seemed appropriate at the time.

Zuria dropped her bag onto a desk in the second row, choosing to sit slightly off-center, towards the left. She'd decided that a change from last semester would be a good idea; a fresh start, a welcome alteration. God knew it was hardly a bad thing.

Exhaling loudly, she sat down. Her hands found their way to her hair, desperately working to form braids with the auburn waves. Pulling her hands away from her hair, she glanced up at the clock. 7:55; only twenty minutes left.

Reaching into her bag, Zuria pulled out her textbook, flipping through it absent-mindedly. She stopped on a page detailing the Vulcan and Romulan war, an event that had taken place several centuries ago. Of course, she had already studied it in moderate detail; aside from her main area of study, the Advanced Vulcan Studies class was one of the few that she was thoroughly invested in, as she had always had an interest in the history and cultures of all planets, including her own. Her thirst for knowledge in these topics was a guilty pleasure of hers; one which she rarely indulged in. However, a class pertaining to the study of at least one Starfleet planet was required of all students to complete; this made her indulgence much easier to justify. She had simply chosen to study Vulcan because it had the most fascinating history to her.

The sound of a door opening and closing several minutes later caused Zuria to jump in her seat, the sound having pulled her from her reading. Tearing her eyes away from the book, she looked up, her eyes meeting those of an equally surprised Vulcan man.

"I am sorry," He began, pausing where he stood. "But it has always been my understanding that all classes begin at eight-fifteen, including this one. Could you, perhaps, provide an explanation for your early arrival?"

"There's no reason in particular." Zuria responded, her eyes glancing momentarily back at the textbook. "It just seemed like a good idea to me when I woke up."

The man nodded, stepping towards the desk at the front of the room. "Well, as you are here before your classmates and seem eager to learn, may I begin attendance by asking your name?" He questioned; as though she could reject the request of her professor.

"Zuria Nibiru." She answered, letting her hands drop to her lap, resting them there. She watched as he raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed." He acknowledged, allowing the computer to mark her present.

"You would be Professor Spock, correct?" She inquired. He nodded.

"I was unaware that you had been informed that I would be teaching your class."

"We weren't informed."

She watched as Spock's eyebrows furrowed. He opened his mouth to question her, but she interrupted.

"There are very few Vulcan professors here at the academy. You happen to be the only one that isn't old." She explained.

"I see." He said, his eyebrows returning to normal. She knew from her studies that Vulcans prized logic and knowledge above all else; Professor Spock had merely seen the logic behind her words, accepting them.

A temporary silence passed between them.

"Did you choose to replace Professor Tadek?" Zuria questioned, referring to the previous teacher of this class; he'd perished along with all others aboard the U.S.S. Farragut in Star Fleet's failed mission to save Vulcan. Guiltily, Zuria thanked God that she had been stationed on board the U.S.S. Hood instead.

"No, I did not." Spock responded. "However, as there are very few remaining Vulcans, I felt obligated to accept the request that I teach this class. It is my duty to attempt to further preserve my culture in such a manner."

"Oh," Zuria said, comprehending his feeling of obligation. Lifting her hands from her lap, she placed them on her desk, leaning forward slightly.

"May I ask a question of a more personal nature?" Spock asked. She nodded, inviting him to continue. "What is your main focus of study?"

"Xenobiology." She replied easily, hardly considering his question personal. She was no surgeon, but she had very in-depth knowledge of the workings of the bodies of all aliens from federation planets.

"Fascinating," Spock commented, a mere hint of a smile on his face.

"I agree. That's why I chose to study it." She returned, a more evident grin playing on her lips.

"You are not yet a doctor, correct?"

"That's correct, sir. I will be after this semester." She informed him. He opened his mouth to speak, but was denied the opportunity when a monotone, female voice sounded, alerting all students that they were to report to their first class.

"Well, Cadet Nibiru, I look forward to having you in my class." He said quickly. She assumed that it was because students were beginning to shuffle tiredly into the room. Several of them examined Zuria quizzically; most likely wondering why she was already seated and prepared for class to begin.

"Hello, students. Welcome back to the Advanced Vulcan Studies class. I am Professor Spock," He introduced, clasping his hands together behind his back. "And I will be replacing the late Professor Tadek who, as I am sure you are all aware, met his end aboard the U.S.S. Farragut. At this time I would like to apologize for any of your losses."

The room remained silent. At last, Spock continued.

"However, I will inform you now that this class will now become more challenging. As this is an _advanced_ class, I expect much out of all of you. I will not tolerate laziness of any kind; you are all very capable of taking responsibility for your own education. Are we understood?"

No words came from the mouths of any students. Zuria smiled inwardly. _Bring it on, professor._ She thought. Spock's eyes met hers for a mere second before looking away.

"All right then. Let us begin."

* * *

**_Well, there you have it: the first chapter. I'm having fun with this story, so I hope you guys do, too! Reviews are lovely, as all know. Any critiques are welcome... flames, however, are not. _**

**_Thanks!_**

**_-Harlequin_**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two

* * *

**_

The first day of the second semester had gone by surprisingly slowly. Zuria blamed the rain that had left her drenched as she walked from her last class back to her living quarters. She punched the code into the locking device on her door, causing it to swing open. She took several steps inside, dropping her bag before wringing the water from her hair and uniform. Music with heavy bass played throughout the dormitory.

"Pallania?" She called. Within several seconds, her roommate appeared before her, wearing just her underwear, as she preferred to do when in the room. Zuria had gotten used to the habit long ago.

"Hey, Zuria." She greeted. She held a tube of lip gloss in one hand and its cap in the other. "What happened to you?"

"I got caught in the rain, obviously." She answered, picking her bag up and moving it to hers and Pallania's sleeping quarters, setting it down next to her bed. "What's with the music?" She questioned, kicking off her boots.

"Oh, I'm just getting ready." She replied, her eyes traveling to the lip gloss, twisting the cap back onto the tube.

Zuria sighed. "Another date?"

"Yes." Pallania responded, turning away from Zuria to examine herself in the mirror.

"Just, _please_, don't bring him back here this time." She entreated, standing behind her roommate and holding her gaze in the mirror. "I don't want to have to find somewhere else to spend the night."

"Okay, I won't." Pallania promised, moving to her bed and picking up the small black dress that lay on her bed, slipping it on over her head. She stepped into a pair of stiletto heels, adding several inches to her already tall frame. "Computer, turn music off." She commanded. The music stopped within seconds.

"Have fun tonight." Zuria said allowing a grin to take hold of her lips. Pallania returned the expression, giving a light giggle.

"Don't worry, Zuria, I will." She assured before grabbing her purse and walking out of the dorm. With a final wave, Zuria exhaled loudly, throwing her soaked uniform to the floor and falling onto her bed.

* * *

The rain had not in any way disrupted Spock as he moved from his last class of the day to his office. Unfortunately for him, Professor Tadek had left at least half of his mid-year exams uncorrected, leaving the responsibility to Spock.

"Computer, lights." He said. They flickered on, illuminating the room. A large box sat next to his desk, containing about fifty exams from the Advanced Vulcan Studies class. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, her rubbed his temples, allowing himself to sink into a pseudo-meditative state. Opening his eyes, Spock inhaled, reaching into the box and pulling out an exam. He flipped through it quickly, gaining an idea of what exactly he had to grade. Most of the questions seemed to be ones answered with short essays, although there were some multiple choices ones as well. Gazing briefly out the window at the downpour that overtook the sky, Spock began grading.

Disappointingly enough, however, it appeared as though the majority of his new students had been napping during the entire first semester of the class. The highest grade he had seen so far was a ninety percent.

Towards the end of the pile, though, Spock came upon the exam of Cadet Zuria Nibiru, the first one of his new students that he had met. He spent a moment recalling her; her reddish hair, demeanor, and the glint in her hazel eyes that he had deduced came from the pleasure of holding casual yet intelligent discourse with him.

Curiously, Spock set down his pen, glancing over the test. He dedicated several more seconds to reading her answers than he had to the other tests, particularly when reading the essay questions. She was intelligent; she appeared to have much insight into the historical events of his home planet.

By the time he was done reading the test, Spock felt the corners of his lips tugging slightly upwards, though anyone who looked at him would be unable to tell so. He had sensed her dedication and deep interest in the subject of Vulcan culture and history, but this pleased him more than he cared to admit: she was the only student that had gotten a perfect score on the exam.

* * *

Hours later, after showering and eating the random bits leftovers that filled her refrigerator, Zuria sat on her bed, wearing mismatched pajamas. In her hands, she held William Shakespeare's _Hamlet_. Her eyes traveled over the lines, each word reinforcing her current state of contentment. The writing was some of the most beautiful she (or anyone else, she liked to think) had ever witnessed. She allowed her mind to picture herself in Shakespeare's time, her imagination getting a rare bit of such use.

However, her reverie was shortly interrupted by the sound of the main door slamming. That sound was followed by ones of heated kisses and breathy moans. Zuria shot up from her bed, causing _Hamlet_ to hit the floor.

"What the hell is going on?" She asked, both shocked and annoyed. Pallania stumbled into the room with a man that looked all too familiar: Captain James T. Kirk. She'd met him when she had been working with her friend, Doctor Leonard McCoy, as his intern.

"Bones' intern?" Jim questioned, his eyebrows drawing together. Pallania clung to him, her lips traveling across his neck.

"Yes, I am." She replied heatedly, her gaze shifting from Jim to her roommate. "I _thought_ I told you not to bring anyone back here tonight."

Pulling her lips from the captain's neck, she looked to Zuria.

"I know, but his room is being renovated right now." She responded, her eyes pleading. Giving an exasperated sigh, Zuria turned away, pulling her bag to her across the floor and opening it. She quickly opened a drawer in her dresser, grabbing a clean uniform and some underwear and stuffing them into the bag. She stepped into her boots, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"This is the _last_ time this is ever happening, Pallania." She said, glaring at her roommate. "If you want to get laid, you do it at _their_ place."

Zuria moved past them, leaving the dorm, shutting the door loudly behind her. _Great_, she thought. _Where am I supposed to go now?_ Squeezing her eyes shut momentarily, she began to walk down the hallway, stepping out of the building, fully aware of her inappropriate appearance. Though the ground was wet, the air was warm; thank God it had stopped raining.

Taking a breath in, Zuria began walking to the nearest building, the one that housed those other than students. Upon arriving, she discretely snuck through the lobby, fortunately going undetected by the one person in the room. She moved directly into the elevator, pressing the button for the eighth floor. When the elevator stopped, she strode out of it, progressing to the end of the dimly lit corridor. She knocked on the last door on the right, waiting several moments before she heard it begin to open.

"Do you have any idea how damn late-" The voice of her friend and mentor came. Leonard "Bones" McCoy stood in the doorway, looking at his intern with surprise.

"Zuria, what are you doing here? And in your pajamas, too?" He inquired, examining her attire.

"My roommate brought Kirk back to our place." She stated simply. A knowing look came over Bones' face, and he rolled his eyes.

"I could've expected that from him. Come in." He invited, opening the door so that she could slip past him. She had never realized how much nicer the professors, doctors, and higher ranked individual's rooms were.

"I only have one bedroom, but I can make up the couch for you." Bones informed her.

"Thanks." Zuria said, a smile appearing on her face. "I'm just grateful that I don't have to spend the night in the library this time."

Bones didn't return the smile.

"I'll get back at him for this tomorrow; I swear." He vowed, opening the door to a near-by closet and pulling several blankets and a pillow out. Zuria laughed.

"I'm not going to argue with that." She told him, taking a blanket from his arms. It took only moments to place everything on the couch, effectively creating a makeshift bed.

"Thank you, Bones."

He nodded in response.

"Yeah, well, get yourself some rest. Tomorrow's not gonna get any easier." He advised, giving her a pat on the back before turning away and entering his room.

Situating herself beneath the blankets, she gave a sigh.

"Computer, lights."

As the lights turned off, Zuria sent a silent prayer out into the universe. _Please,_ she thought. _Let Bones be wrong. _

* * *

**_Hey guys!_**

**_Thanks to those that reviewed. The feedback inspired me to get this chapter out faster; something about this story just makes me want to write my brains out. I'm hoping to have a new chapter out in the middle of the week._**

**_Anyways, reviews are, as could be suspected, quite lovely. Feel free to leave some._**

**_Thanks,_**

**_-Harlequin_**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three**_

* * *

Zuria awoke to the clinking of glass. Yawning, she stretched, gazing ahead of her. Bones stood in the kitchen, two bowls in front of him on the counter. He looked up after hearing her.

"Morning, Zuria." He said.

"Morning." She returned, throwing the blankets off of her and standing up. She walked into the kitchen, stopping next to her mentor. Several containers of cereal were lined up along with a carton of milk.

"Help yourself to whatever you want." Bones invited, pouring himself some cereal. Zuria reached for the closest container, dumping a small amount into her bowl. After adding some milk to the cereal, they dug in, not bothering to sit down at the table.

"You slept like a rock." Bones informed her, taking a bite.

"I feel like one." She responded, rubbing the back of her neck. He had obviously done the best he could to provide her with a comfortable place to stay, but sleep was never a very pleasant experience for her, no matter how deeply she slept.

"So, what are your classes like?" He questioned in an attempt to make casual conversation. Unfortunately for him, there was little that could be called "casual" about the situation at hand.

"The same as last semester." She told him. She had half a mind to tell him about Professor Spock, but decided against it, as Bones probably already knew that the he was teaching the Advanced Vulcan Studies class.

"I'm sorry." He apologized, leaning against the counter.

Zuria laughed. "You do realize that my schedule includes working with you, right, Bones?" She asked. Having finished, she took her bowl to the sink, placing it with the stack of other dirty dishes.

"Yeah, I know. It's just too bad that you have to keep taking that physics class."

"It doesn't bother me _that_ much," She said, shrugging her shoulders. "It's just not very interesting, that's all."

"You're right about that." He agreed. He'd never liked physics; when it came to fields of study, he preferred to remain within the realm of biology and medicine, his strongest areas of intelligence. "You don't need to know all of that stuff; you're going to be a doctor." He reminded her. She knew that he was incredibly proud of her in terms of work.

"Well, it's only one more semester. I think I can handle it." She assured him, glancing to the clock. His eyes followed hers, checking the time before looking back to her.

"You should get going." He advised, setting his bowl next to hers in the sink. "I don't want you to have to explain why you were late for class."

She nodded. "Good idea." She commended him. Exiting the kitchen, she returned to the couch, bending down and opening her bag. She sifted through it, pulling out her clothing. She made her way to the bathroom, changing into them quickly before inspecting herself in the mirror. She looked the same as ever; with the exception that her hair was a mess and that she appeared deathly tired.

Upon leaving the bathroom, she returned to her bag, stuffing her pajamas into it before taking out her brush, running it through her hair several times before pulling her hair back into a ponytail; it was the easiest remedy that could be found at the time.

Putting her boots on, she stood, smoothing out her uniform and picking up her bag.

"I'll see you later, Zuria." Bones promised, punching her lightly on the arm. She gave a tired grin, batting his hand away.

"Thanks again, Bones." She said. With that, she took her leave, opening the door and exiting the apartment.

* * *

Spock arrived in the Advanced Vulcan Studies classroom at the same time that he had the day before. The room was unoccupied; as was expected by the Vulcan, for it would be illogical to assume that one student, though early the first day, would be present at the same time another day. Sitting at the desk in the front of the room, he pulled out his lesson plan, reviewing it briefly. Today would be a continuation of yesterday's discussion of the reason for the Romulan's split from the Vulcans; an introduction to the war held between them.

Although he had assumed that she wouldn't appear, Spock couldn't consider himself surprised when he saw that Cadet Zuria Nibiru had entered the room. This morning, however, she looked different; her hair was pulled back, and she looked stiff and unresponsive.

"Greetings, Cadet Nibiru." He welcomed her. Her eyes slowly lifted before meeting his.

"Morning, Professor Spock." She returned setting her things down in the same spot that she had chosen the day before.

Pushing his lesson plan aside, Spock gave his full attention to his new student.

"Forgive me for making such a comment, but you appear unwell; exhausted, to be exact." He observed. He noted the corners of Zuria's lips is they turned down slightly, expressing her annoyance.

"Exhausted is a good word for it." She agreed, rubbing at the back of her neck and wincing. "My roommate brought the local playboy back to our apartment last night; as I result, I was kicked out." She informed him, dropping into her seat.

Spock shook his head. He knew all too well who Zuria was speaking of.

"You would be referring to Captain Jim Kirk, am I correct?"

"Yes." She affirmed.

"I cannot say that this news comes as a shock." He sighed, shaking his head a little. "I feel I must apologize for my friend's behavior; he does not think of the effect that his actions will have on others."

"Thank you, sir, but I'm angrier at my roommate than I am at Captain Kirk." She said.

"Your tone suggests that this is a regular occurrence for you." Spock observed.

"It is. My roommate has been nothing but raging hormones since she arrived at Star Fleet." Zuria told him, a small grin appearing on her face. It betrayed her obvious anger and exhaustion.

"Well, Cadet Nibiru," Spock began. "Should you find yourself in a similar situation again, you are welcome to seek me out so that I might help find you a suitable place to stay for the night, as I cannot say I appreciate my students being tired in my classes." His offer was quite bold, surprising even him. However, he couldn't very well acknowledge her problem without providing some sort of solution for her; no Vulcan could have.

"Again, thanks. I hope I don't have to take you up on that offer." She quipped, at last sitting down.

Slowly, the wave of students began to trickle into the classroom, effectively ending the discussion between Spock and Zuria.

"Good morning, students. Welcome to our second day of class." He greeted. "Today, we shall be continuing our discussion about the factors that caused the Vulcan and Romulan war."

Spock paused, gazing about the room. Though each student had their padds before them, ready to take notes, only a handful of them seemed truly engaged. "Yesterday we discussed the rise of logic brought about by the philosopher, Surak." He reminded them. This served to effectively begin his lecture. However, later in the class, he saw Zuria raise her hand. Although Spock normally asked his students to wait until after class to ask questions or make comments, he was curious as to what she had to say.

"Cadet Nibiru, is there something that you'd like to say?" He inquired, inviting her to speak.

"Forgive me, professor, but I find myself slightly confused about something you've implied." She said, leaning slightly forward in her seat.

"And what might that be, cadet?"

"From what you've been saying, it sounds as though Vulcans are incapable of violence or feeling."

"Vulcans rule their emotions so that they do not become violent." He stated, folding his wrists behind his back. He distanced himself from the discussion mentally, so as not to make it personal.

"Are you then saying that Vulcans react the same way in each scenario?" She questioned.

"Cadet Nibiru, I am sure that you know the answer to that inquiry." He responded.

"No, sir. I don't think so. That's why I'm asking it."

Locking eyes with Zuria, he replied: "Vulcans act as is logical in each scenario; emotions have no logical bearing, and are, therefore, not taken into account in different situations."

Spock watched as she dug her teeth momentarily into her lower lip. He could tell that she was preparing herself to contradict him.

"With all, due respect, sir, I happen to disagree."

"Please, enlighten me as to the reason of your disagreement."

Taking in a breath, she began: "It's logical to react to different scenarios with certain emotions. For instance, when a loved one dies; it's logical to cry, to mourn, even to, on occasion, resort to anger and violence. It would be highly _il_logical to ignore these feelings, as, from what you've said, Vulcans feel much more deeply than humans. It seems to me like bottling up all emotions could lead to a violent outburst."

The entire classroom went silent. Spock could not entirely contradict what she had just said: he himself had nearly killed Jim Kirk after the loss of his planet and his mother. Of course, his emotions took more effort to control, as he was half human.

"Thank you for your insight, cadet." He said, finally breaking eye contact with her. He retreated to his desk, glancing down once more at his lesson plan. "I would like you all to read chapters thirteen through sixteen for homework." He told them. Class ended only moments later. Each student quickly packed their things. Spock looked again to Zuria, who seemed as though she had something to say. However, instead, she tore her gaze away from him, gathering her things and exiting.

She had certainly given him something to think about.

* * *

**_Hey guys!_**

**_Sorry it took me so long to finish this chapter; it was seriously kicking my butt._**

**_As well as that, I'm trying to tie up loose ends and study for finals, as I'm graduating this year. Lots of stress. Fortunately, however, this is my last week of anything high school related, which means that, for the summer, I will be free to do as I please. That means that the updates should come more quickly._**

**_I hope you enjoyed that chapter! Reviews are, of course, delectable._**

**_-Harlequin_**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four**_

* * *

The room was empty when Zuria finally arrived. The quiet almost made the night before feel like a dream, out of place in this silent location. The only evidence that proved the events true was the condition of Pallania's bed: sheets tangled, pillows thrown onto the floor, and sexy lingerie discarded on top of said pillows. Shaking her head, Zuria dropped her things, entering her bathroom. She splashed her face with water several times, then reaching for a washcloth and drying the water away.

Leaving the bathroom, Zuria plopped down onto her bed. She closed her eyes momentarily before sitting up. Gazing down, she saw that _Hamlet_ still lay on the floor. She sighed, picking up the book and setting it on her nightstand. She then reached into her bag, pulling out her Advanced Vulcan Studies textbook, flipping to chapter thirteen. Her eyes scanned the page briefly, giving her a hint as to what the reading assignment was about. She pulled her legs up to her chest, resting the textbook on her knees. Her mind wandered back to class that morning. She recalled the tone of Professor Spock's voice after she had made her point; it was empty, save for something that sounded a bit like hurt.

_Uh-oh._ She thought. _What if I upset him? I mean, he IS Vulcan._

Smacking herself on the forehead, she set her textbook down, standing from her spot on the bed. It was so like her to get into these little messes when voicing her opinions.

Exiting her room, she moved quickly down the hallway and out of the dormitory building. So quickly, in fact, that she very nearly ran into Jim Kirk.

"Whoa, what's the rush?" He questioned, stopping so as to prevent a collision.

"I don't see how that's any of your business." She replied, attempting to move around him. He held his arm out, effectively blocking her.

"Can I at _least_ apologize?"

Zuria paused, moving back several steps. "If you're apologizing because you're actually sorry, then yes. If you're apologizing only because Bones gave you hell, then no."

Jim laughed at that. "What, did he promise you that he'd chastise me?"

"Yes, he did."

"Well," Jim started, folding his arms casually across his chest. "I guess he kept that promise."

Zuria's lips began to curve upwards at his easy tone. "So, are you actually apologizing to me?" She asked.

"Yeah, I am. I'm sorry…?" He trailed off expectantly. Rolling her eyes and chuckling, she answered.

"Zuria."

"Okay, then. I'm sorry, Zuria." He apologized. Zuria took a moment, assessing his tone; it sounded genuine. He extended his hand to her, waiting.

"Apology accepted." She said, taking his hand and shaking it. It was only then that she began to move past him again.

"By the way," He called as she continued walking. "Call me Jim."

Turning her head around, she nodded. "_Goodbye_, Jim."

He waved to her once before continuing in the direction he was going. Zuria turned around, making her way to the professor's office building.

Once inside, she sought out Professor Spock's office. Upon finding it, she inhaled deeply, knocking on the door.

"Come in." She heard his voice. The door opened, and she stepped in.

Within seconds, she felt utterly tactless and stupid. Spock sat meditating, his eyes closed in careful concentration.

"I'm so sorry, professor. I didn't mean to disrupt your meditation."

Spock's eyes opened at her words. "There is no need to worry, cadet." He assured her. "My office is always open to students. Is there something that you wish to discuss?"

Swallowing hard, she nodded. "Yes sir. I came to apologize for my behavior in class today. I'm sorry if I offended you in any way." She said, clutching onto her left arm.

"You did not offend me, Cadet Nibiru. Truthfully, I found your digression to be most… interesting. Rarely are my students so engaged in thought about the subject which they are studying." He informed her.

"Oh…" She began, her eyebrows lifting as she accepted his words. "Thank you, sir."

"However," He continued, standing up and straightening his uniform. "I must ask you to save your thoughts for after class. If there is something that you desire to speak to me about, you are welcome to come here and do so." He offered.

"That sounds reasonable." She accepted, nodding. "I'm sorry for disrupting your class."

"As I've said, cadet, your apology is unneeded." He restated. "I will see you in class tomorrow."

"Yes, you certainly will." Zuria responded, a grin taking hold of her lips. She wasn't sure if relief was a strong enough word for what she felt at that moment, though she knew of no other name to call it by.

"Farwell, cadet." He said, escorting her to the door.

"Goodbye, professor." She returned, slipping from his office. Rolling her shoulders back, she returned to her room with renewed optimism.

Unfortunately, however, said optimism diminished when she arrived at her dormitory room. Loud music once again blared through the computer's sound system, and, while Zuria enjoyed the music itself, she did not enjoy the fact that her roommate was back home playing it.

Walking to the bedroom, her eyes fell upon Pallania, who was in the process of making her bed.

"No guys tonight, Pal?" She questioned, leaning casually against the door frame. Pallania lifted her head, turning to look at her roommate.

"No, Zuria. You just about killed Jim last night." She articulated in a tired voice.

"I didn't almost kill _him_," She amended, entering the room. "He came to me and apologized; we're cool now. It was _you _that I almost killed."

Pallania dropped the pillow she was holding, folding her arms across her chest. "Okay, I _know_ that you get annoyed about getting kicked out of the room," She started, meeting the berating gaze of the other girl confidently. "But it's not my fault that you don't get any sex."

_"What?"_ Zuria asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow. "You think this is about me not having _sex_ with anyone?"

"Well, part of it has to be." She answered, picking up the pillow and hugging it to her chest. "I mean, why are you depriving yourself? It's not like _you_ would have a hard time convincing a guy to sleep with you."

Sitting down on her bed, Zuria laid down on her side, propping her head up with her hand. "I told you, Pallania. I don't want to sleep with just _anyone_. I want it to be with someone that I love."

Pallania followed Zuria's actions, sitting down on her bed. "Tell me honestly: how long has it been since you've had sex?" She inquired. Zuria made no sound.

"C'mon, Zur. How long has it been? Six months? One year? Two years?" She prompted.

Heaving a sigh, Zuria responded: "Two and a half years."

"Are you _insane_?!" Pallania cried, slapping her hand to her forehead. "How could you go that long without getting any action?"

Shaking her head, Zuria rolled her eyes. "I don't know. I just don't really feel the need to screw every guy I can get my hands on." She replied truthfully.

"Whatever, Zuria. It's your loss." She said with a shrug, getting up and leaving the room.

Casting her eyes to the foot of her bed, Zuria saw her Advanced Vulcan Studies textbook. Exhaling, she pulled it up to her, delving into her reading assignment. It was the only thing she could think to do that would distract her from the uncleanly and embarrassing thoughts that Pallania had put into her head.

* * *

**_Hey guys!_**

**_Yay for a quick update! This chapter was quite easy to write for some reason. I'm glad I got it finished too, because it was killing my focus while trying to study for my calc exam. So, now I can study in peace, and you get a chapter. It's a win-win situation._**

**_Unfortunately, this will probably be the last update until later this week, as I need to focus on exams. _**

**_Thank you for those that have reviewed thus far; I really appreciate your feedback. Anyone who wishes to review is welcome/encouraged to. Make my day, please, and do so._**

**_Thanks,_**

**_-Harlequin_**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five**_

* * *

The first two weeks of the second semester were as much the same as the first several days, Spock had noted. Each morning, Cadet Zuria Nibiru would arrive several minutes early to class, giving them time to discuss the subject matter which they had been studying, or to simply converse about how their evenings had been; strictly impersonal discussions, of sorts. He still had yet to discover her thoughts on non-Vulcan related topics.

Spock had woken fairly early, even by his standards. He had prepared himself for the day and now sat meditating in his room. He could think of nothing more soothing than meditation; as a Vulcan, he knew that little else was. He needed the calm that the practice brought, as his Advanced Vulcan Studies class only added to his already sizeable workload.

Within what seemed like hours and seconds, Spock was forced to open his eyes and gather his things; a short process, to be sure. The walk to the Advanced Vulcan Studies classroom was only several moments longer. When he arrived, he was met with the sight of Cadet Nibiru, who stood by the window, gazing out.

"Greetings, Cadet."

At the sound, she turned from the window, her eyes meeting his. "Good morning, Professor." She greeted, a small grin taking hold of her lips. "How was your evening?"

The conversation began just as he had anticipated. "It was fine, thank you. And yours?"

Zuria's grin slowly faded away. "It was… acceptable." She responded. Spock's eyebrows knit slightly at her answer, and he nodded.

"I am sorry that your evening was less than enjoyable." He apologized, setting his things down on his desk.

"Oh, it wasn't that bad. Nothing to warrant an apology, at least." She assured him, her smile reappearing. Spock simply nodded. He was actually slightly surprised that her evening had not gone well; she _looked_ quite well. In fact, she looked _very_ well.

Clearing his throat, Spock asked her: "What are your opinions pertaining to the piece of Vulcan literature I assigned yesterday?" They had just begun their study of Vulcan writings, a subject which had been received with very mixed responses by his students.

"My opinions?" She repeated back as a question. "Well, I, for one, enjoyed it greatly. It's so different from human literature."

"In what ways do you mean?" Spock inquired, thoroughly interested in her response.

Zuria paused for a moment to think. "It's not the emotions that rule the text. There are subtle hints of feeling that accompany the logic. I find that interesting." She replied, moving to her seat.

"I am pleased that you find the subject interesting; many are not capable of observing the hidden emotion within the words of Vulcan literature."

She laughed at that. "My roommate calls me a bookworm. I think she would be sorely disappointed in me if I had been unable to pick up any minor details about something I was reading."

"I see." Spock acknowledged, bowing his head momentarily. Cadet Nibiru was intelligent and deeply engaged in his class. Inhaling, he posed his request to her.

"Cadet, might I persuade you to stop by my office after classes conclude? There is a matter which I long to discuss with you."

Confusion took hold of her face, but she nodded. "Sure. Anything you need, sir."

This ended their discussion. Students entered the room within seconds, and class commenced.

* * *

Spock could hardly say that his day had been eventful. After ending his Advanced Vulcan Studies class (one in which he knew Zuria had much to say), he had transitioned easily to his numerous physics classes and his Advanced Phonology class. He had also acquired many completed assignments from each one of his classes, adding at least ten pounds to the weight of what he already carried as he made his way to his office.

Gathering the papers into his left arm, he lifted his hand, pressing it against the scanner for computer recognition. The door swung open several moments later, granting him access. Entering the room, he set the stack of papers onto his desk. There was a knock on the door about five minutes later.

"Computer, grant access." He said. The door slid open, admitting Cadet Nibiru to his office.

"Good afternoon, Cadet." He welcomed, turning to face her. "I am pleased that you are here."

"Thank you, sir." She responded, glancing about curiously.

"I suppose that you are wondering why I asked you to see me after class."

Zuria nodded. "Have I done something wrong, Professor?" She questioned.

Spock shook his head. "No; quite the opposite, actually. As I am sure we are both aware, you are doing exceptionally well in my class."

"I'd prefer to be modest about it, but yes, I suppose I am." She replied with a grin.

"There is no need for you to be modest about your interest in and academic commitment to a subject." Spock told her, clasping his hands together behind his back. "I would, in fact, like to utilize your enthusiasm, should you be willing to accept my request."

"Ok. What's your request?"

"I am… very busy. I have much work to do involving my many classes. It would be most relieving to have assistance with this work, for at least one class." He explained. Zuria's face showed comprehension.

"You want me to be your aide?" She asked.

"If it pleases you, then yes. I would greatly appreciate it." He answered. He watched as Zuria ruminated briefly on the subject. He had thought to endeavor to understand the more subtle things that she showed as she made her decision, but decided against it in almost the same moment.

"Well then, sir, I'm glad to inform you that it _does_ please me. I'd love to help." She accepted, though her expression had shifted from one of comprehension to one of mixed thoughts and emotions.

Unclasping his hands, Spock took a step towards her. "Excellent. Thank you very much, Cadet. We may meet tomorrow to further discuss what your position entails." He informed her, extending one of his now free hands. She took it, the brush of her hand against his a completely foreign (though hardly unwelcome) sensation.

"Oh, by the way," She began as they shook hands. "Call me Zuria."

Pulling his hand slowly away, Spock straightened his uniform. "Zuria," He spoke her name slowly, carefully. "It now stands to reason that I grant you permission to call me Spock."

"Alright, Spock." She started, testing out his name. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Farewell, Ca-… Zuria." He said, escorting her to the door. As she exited, Spock raised his hand, examining it; wondering at the strange, faint tingle he felt where her hand had been.

"Fascinating."

* * *

**_Hey guys!_**

**_So, I should definitely apologize. Last week was absolutely insane; exams, graduating, and graduation parties have been keeping me away from writing, much to my dismay. I was only able to start on this chapter yesterday. However, much to my delight, I have finished it! I have to babysit several times within the next few days, but I am hoping to have an update posted no later than Friday._**

**_Hopefully you all enjoyed the chapter! Reviews act as a sort of incentive for me to keep writing, so please just drop a comment of some sort... with the exception of flames. I'm not personally a fan of those._**

**_Thanks for reading!_**

**_-Harley_**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter Six**_

* * *

Zuria adjusted quickly to being Spock's aide; this was slightly surprising to her, as she had never done anything of the sort before. The tasks which she was asked to assist in couldn't exactly be called difficult, nor could they be called easy. Thus far, she had helped Spock in grading several homework assignments. Tonight, however, was a different story.

Spock had asked Zuria to help him put together a lesson plan. This was something that she had known she would have to do at some point, but it was an intriguing idea to her. She had flipped through her Advanced Vulcan Studies textbook and looked through the Vulcan book that the class was currently reading in order to prepare herself for a discussion with Spock.

As Zuria tied her hair back in a ponytail, Pallania entered their bedroom, standing in the doorframe.

"So, you're Spock's assistant?" She questioned playfully.

"Yes, Pal. I'm just his assistant." Zuria responded.

Giggling, Pallania asked her next question: "And what do you assist him in? Getting off?"

"Pallania! Is that _all_ you think about?"

"No," Pallania said, shaking her head and grinning. "But I'm just saying: he could use some, you could use some. The two of you together? It could be very… _satisfying_."

Swallowing hard, Zuria attempted not to think about Spock in such a manner; true, such thoughts had crossed her mind once or twice, but never in such a fashion, and she wouldn't let her roommate instill them in her mind. She made no response to Pallania's comment.

"I wonder what Vulcans are like in bed…" She pondered, at last walking into the room and sitting on her bed. "All those bottled up emotions must make for some pretty intense sex."

"Ok, stop it." Zuria demanded, gathering her things and shoving them into her bag, feeling her cheeks flush lightly.

"Fine; maybe you won't say it out loud, but you've imagined Spock tearing your clothes off, setting you on his desk, and ravishing you on top of all of the papers that you should be correcting." Pallania said, laughter in her voice. Zuria squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to eliminate from her brain the particularly graphic image that her roommate had conjured up.

"_Pallania_," She hissed, gazing pleadingly at the other girl. "_Please_."

"Alright, I'll stop for now. But you'll realize just how right I am later." She told her confidently. "Now go meet the logical one; we wouldn't want you to be late, would we?"

Zuria sighed, shaking her head at her friend. "I'll see you when I get back." She promised, slinging her bag over her shoulder, leaving before Pallania could get another word in.

* * *

When Zuria arrived at Spock's office, she was surprised to see him standing outside of it with his PADD in his hands.

"Good evening, Zuria." He greeted. Though she had realized it before, Zuria couldn't help but marvel at how beautiful her name sounded when spoken by Spock; after all, he did teach advanced phonology.

"Hello." She returned. "Might I ask why you're standing out here?"

"It is later in the evening than we usually meet; I have not yet eaten dinner. Surely you do not mind if we conduct our meeting in the mess hall?" He inquired, looking at her expectantly.

"No, I don't mind." She assured him. "To be honest, I forgot to eat before I came." She informed him.

"Then let us relocate for this evening, shall we?"

Zuria nodded briefly. Unfortunately, however, in the silence that filled the air as they transferred to the mess hall, her mind had seen fit to summon its earlier images of Spock and herself. _Dammit, Pallania_, she cursed inwardly.

"What have you brought with you tonight?" Spock's voice came, cutting through her imaginings.

"Uh… just a couple of books." She replied after momentary hesitation. "What exactly do you want this lesson to get across?"

Spock thought for a moment. "I would simply like for it to encourage deeper reading and thinking."

"Ah. Ok." She acknowledged, stepping with him through the mess hall doors. Spock led them through the hall until they found a relatively secluded table; perfect, she assumed, for focusing on the task at hand. They separated briefly as they searched for food, each of them returning to the table with something entirely different; Spock with a simple bowl of soup, and Zuria with a sandwich.

"Are you prepared to begin?" He asked, glancing to her bag.

"Yes." She responded, pulling her books out and setting them on the table. She picked one up, flipping it open to a page that she had bookmarked. "I thought that perhaps this lesson could specifically focus on the similarities and differences between human and Vulcan literature, and why said similarities and differences exist."

Spock sat silently for several seconds before answering: "I think that is a wise decision. Perhaps the class will-"

However, Spock was cut off by the sound of Zuria's PADD.

"Incoming transmission from Pallania Zenir." It alerted her.

"Ignore transmission." Zuria commanded, rolling her eyes. She made a promise to herself that she would give Pallania hell when she got back. "I'm sorry about that." She apologized.

"Your roommate, I presume?" Spock questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. She apparently feels that she needs to be constantly annoying me tonight." She said bitterly, shoving her PADD back into her bag.

"Do you mean to say that you are not friends with her?" Spock inquired, his eyebrows now drawing together.

"No, I'm friends with her, she just has some habits that bother me." Zuria replied, shaking her head. "You're lucky that you don't have a roommate anymore."

A slight smile played on Spock's lips. "Yes, I am. My roommate was hardly pleasant."

"Oh?" She prompted, curiosity easily showing.

"I will not name him, but he was constantly attending and throwing parties. I was often subjected to the sounds of loud music and drunken yelling whilst meditating." He told her.

"Ouch," She responded, sucking in a breath. "Ok, your roommate was _way_ worse than mine. I would kick Pallania out if she pulled anything like that."

"Now that I look back on those events, I find them humorous." He informed her. "It did , however, improve my ability to mediate in… extreme conditions."

A grin began to spread across Zuria's face. "That must be very useful."

"At times, yes." Spock agreed, his gaze moving to the book that she still held in her hands, causing her to look down at it.

"But… we should continue our discussion about the lesson." She said, clearing her throat lightly. For some reason, his eyes showed a strange sort of reluctance, as though he wished to continue speaking casually to her.

However, his words were quick to mask, if not contradict, the reluctance she observed: "Yes, I believe we should." He concurred.

Zuria began to read the passage she had marked, ruminating over the content in it as opposed to the other ones that she had selected.

"May I?" She heard Spock's voice. Looking up from the book, she saw his hands extended slightly towards the book.

"Yes, of course." She invited, holding the book out in offering. She was surprised, however, when his fingers brushed gently against her hands as he took the book from her. She had no clue as to whether the contact had been made on purpose, though she assumed not. Regardless, though, she still felt the gesture, even seconds after it had ended.

The contact alerted her to a thought that been in her subconscious for at least a month now: _dear God, I think I'm attracted to him_.

Yes, she had been fond of Spock prior to that moment, but in another manner. She had only just begun to accept the fact herself. Inhaling deeply, she cast a quick glance to his ears. They reminded her just how Vulcan he truly was, his eyes being the only human thing about him; at least in terms of appearance. _Pallania was right,_ she thought, slightly surprised at the revelation.

Clasping her hands together, Zuria pulled herself from her thoughts, focusing on Spock's words instead of his appearance as he began to speak.

"Let us continue."

* * *

**_Hey guys!_**

**_Well, this chapter was actually pretty easy to write for some reason. For that, I must admit that I am thankful to whatever/whoever is responsible. I hope you enjoyed the chapter_**

**_However, I have a feeling that you'll like the upcoming chapter even more. It's even better- I promise._**

**_Anyways, thanks for reading! If you'd be so kind as to oblige me, I'd love it if you could just drop a little comment; it's not that diffiult, really._**

**_Thank you!_**

**_-Harley_**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter Seven**_

* * *

A week had passed since the Friday that Spock and Zuria had met in the mess hall, and she was proving to be most helpful as his aide. There was never a time when she had been unwilling to assist him in anything pertaining to the Advanced Vulcan Studies class. Tonight, in fact, she had agreed to taking on the task of correcting the class' most recent assignment, as he had many papers which he had to grade for his Advanced Phonology class.

Since that day, Spock had begun to experiment with subtle physical contact, seeing how Zuria reacted when their fingers touched, or when his arm brushed against hers. He could not be sure, but he thought that, on most occasions, she acknowledged the contact that had been made; whether she knew the actions were intentional or not, he didn't know.

Inhaling, he cleared his mind of those thoughts while attempting to ignore the few students that glanced at him as he walked through the dormitory hallway with a small stack of papers under his arm as he made his way to Zuria's room. He had told her that he would deliver the assignments to her after classes were over.

Upon reaching it, Spock knocked on the door to her living space. It was only several moments before the door opened, revealing his aide. She held a book to her chest and was barefoot. He had not seen her in such a casual state before.

"Hello, Spock." She greeted, offering him a smile.

"Good afternoon, Zuria." He returned. "I have brought the assignment that you had offered to correct."

"Oh, ok. Great; I'll take them." She told him, reaching for the papers. She set them easily down onto a small table next to the door.

"_The Phantom of the Opera_, is it?" Spock questioned, gesturing to the book that she still held. Her eyes dropped to it, pulling it away from her, her gaze shifting from the cover to him.

"Yes, it is." She replied, brushing a piece of hair behind one of her ears.

"I am familiar with this book." He said, extending his hand towards it. Zuria placed it in his palm (not attempting to avoid contact, he noted), allowing him to look freely upon it. "It tells the story of a disfigured man that teaches an orphaned girl how to sing and, in the process, falls into an obsessive and unrequited love with her." He commented.

"It does. Have you read it?" She asked, a fresh smile growing on her face.

"I certainly have."

"And what did you think of it, Spock?"

He paused, considering how she would react to his answer. "It was an enjoyable read; it focused heavily on the… darker aspects of human emotions."

"I enjoyed it as well; it's definitely a blatant contrast to Vulcan literature, though." She agreed in an almost teasing voice, referencing their current study topic.

Spock nodded, returning the book to Zuria. "Thank you again for offering to correct these assignments; it will help me considerably." He said.

"You're welcome; hopefully I can get them back to you by the time we meet tomorrow."

"There is no need to rush, Zuria, but I appreciate your willingness to assist me as such." He assured her, taking a step back.

"Not a problem." She responded.

"I apologize for the briefness of my visit; I must return to my office to grade papers." His apology was met with an understanding hand wave from her.

"It's ok. I understand."

"Well then, I shall see you tomorrow, Zuria."

"Goodbye, Spock."

* * *

Zuria was about ready to kill her roommate after she turned away from the door. Pallania stood mere feet away in the kitchen, quietly examining her nails; a contrast to the loud chuckles that she had heard after the door slid shut.

Walking past the kitchen, she entered the bedroom, throwing her book down onto her bed.

"What?" Pallania questioned, following her into the room.

"You just _had_ to be listening in on me, didn't you?" Zuria asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"Not just listening- looking." She corrected, plopping lazily onto her bed. "Hate to break it to you, Zur, but I know when you're attracted to someone; let me just say that Spock is one lucky Vulcan."

Zuria made no response to Pallania's comment, instead gazing about the room. A plate of slightly burnt chocolate chip cookies sat on her roommate's bedside table; Pallania had never been good at cooking.

Following Zuria's eyes, she reached for the plate, extending it in offering. "Cookie?"

Zuria shook her head, slumping down to the floor, leaning against her bed.

"Sorry," Pallania apologized, setting the plate of cookies back down. "But I told you I was right."

"Can we stop talking about this?" Zuria entreated, essentially surrendering. Perhaps if she stopped fighting so hard to conceal her attraction, Pallania would stop teasing her about it.

"Ok, ok; changing the subject." She began, rolling over onto her stomach. "I'm going to a club tonight and you're coming with me."

"Since when?" Zuria questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Since I'm making you come with me and you'll have fun." She replied.

"No, definitely not. In case you didn't notice while you were _watching_ me, Spock just dropped off some assignments that I'm supposed to correct." Zuria reminded her, rejecting the invitation.

"In case you didn't notice, Spock wouldn't object to you having fun for one night after all of the work you've been doing for him." Pallania said, sitting up on her bed. Zuria looked to the floor. Picking up one of her roommate's shirts, she stood, then throwing it to her.

"C'mon, Zur. Just for a while; so you can let loose for a bit." Pallania pleaded, getting up from her bed and moving to Zuria, tugging on her arm.

"Pal," She sighed, looking skeptically at her

"_Please_? Just this once? I promise, you don't even have to stay the whole time."

This was a pointless argument. Pallania wouldn't give up until Zuria finally said she'd go. "Ok, fine." She agreed, shaking her head. "But just this once. And no guys can come home with you."

"Yes!" Pallania squealed, hugging Zuria tightly. "We are gonna have _so_ much fun."

* * *

Several hours later, Zuria found herself walking with Pallania to the nearest club on campus, clad in her roommate's clothes; a strapless black mini-dress and stiletto boots. Pallania had insisted on doing her hair and make-up as well.

"Did you really have to put me in this dress?" Zuria inquired, pulling at the bottom of it.

"Yes. It looks good on you." Pallania assured her. They reached the club only minutes later, entering after identifying themselves. The colored lights that illuminated the establishment moved to the beat of the pounding bass from the music.

"Fabulous, isn't it?" Pallania asked, smiling.

"Sure." Zuria answered, glancing about. The crowd was thick, filled with groups of gyrating idiots and grinding couples.

"Dear _God_," She breathed, not wanting to join the throng.

"What was that?" Pallania asked, yelling to be heard over the music.

"Let's go to the bar." She suggested in an equally loud voice. The other girl nodded in agreement. They made their way to the bar.

"I'll have the slusho mix." Pallania told the bartender, who nodded in response.

"And for you?" He questioned, now turned to Zuria.

"I'll have a Cardassian sunrise." She replied after several moments of pondering. Again, the bartender nodded, turning away to make their drinks.

"Wow." Pallania said, chuckling.

"What?"

"I thought you'd just order water."

Zuria rolled her eyes. "Wasn't it your idea for me to let loose for a little bit?" She queried, despite the fact that she was feeling marginally uncomfortable; she didn't usually drink alcohol.

"Yes, it was, and I plan on making you stick to it." She promised, reaching for her drink. Zuria mirrored her action, taking a swig of her Cardassian sunrise. The alcohol burned on the tip of her tongue, but the fruitiness spread throughout her mouth, teasing her.

Pallania, however, downed her drink much more quickly, ordering another slusho mix for herself and another Cardassian sunrise for Zuria.

After finishing her first drink, she hesitantly reached for the second one. "How many slusho mixes are you planning on having?" She asked, leaning her back against the bar, taking a sip of her drink.

"As many as I need to have before a super-hot guy asks me to dance."

Almost on cue, a tall, dark haired man from Zuria's Advanced Vulcan Studies class walked up to them.

"Evening, ladies." He greeted, a wide grin spread across his face.

"It's the man I've been waiting for all night!" Pallania cried, giggling. Zuria couldn't help but roll her eyes; Pallania, she was sure, had never even met the man.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting so long." He replied playfully, draping an arm over Pallania's shoulders. "Wanna dance?"

She nodded, turning to Zuria expectantly.

"Not now." She answered, her voice dropping. "Just remember- _his_ place, if you must."

Pallania nodded, acknowledging her reminder. She waved to Zuria before turning away and setting off for the dance floor with her guy of the night.

_Great,_ thought Zuria. _I knew this would happen._

She quickly downed her drink, slamming the glass down on the counter.

"Another one?" The bartender asked. Glancing from him to the glass and back, she nodded.

"Sure." She accepted. Hadn't she come here to "let loose?" One more drink couldn't hurt.

Unfortunately, Zuria's thoughts proved incorrect. After several more minutes, she relaxed, but the other effects of alcohol began to take hold of her. She was unsure how many drinks she'd had thus far.

Looking out to the dance floor, she scanned the crowd for Pallania. Of course, she failed in this endeavor; her roommate didn't need to know that she was going back to their room. Paying her tab, Zuria pulled herself together, leaving the club.

* * *

Spock had been grading essays for six hours before he was finally finished. It was an unpleasant task, to be sure; however, it was a necessary one. He could only have imagined how long his work would have taken him if Zuria were not his aide.

Setting down his pen, Spock cracked his knuckles, then circling his neck around to loosen the stiff muscles. Gathering his things, he placed them carefully into his bag, which he then lifted onto his shoulders. He glanced briefly about his office, assuring that everything was in its proper place before exiting.

Spock paused before stepping down the stairs leading away from the professor's office building, inhaling. The crisp night air was a refreshing change from that of his office. He began to walk, moving easily ahead. It was several moments later, however, that a figure came into sight. Spock squinted, trying to get a better view of them.

Zuria. It was Zuria.

Walking faster, Spock approached her. He watched as she tripped several times before toppling to the ground.

"Zuria?" He spoke her name as a question. She looked up, her eyebrows drawing together in confusion. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She was clearly intoxicated.

"What have you been doing this evening?" He prompted.

"M-My roommate begged me to go clubbing with her tonight." She answered.

"And where is your roommate now?" He asked.

"With some guy from our class. Dancing, I think. Or maybe not. Either way, she's not coming home tonight." She informed him with a shrug. Spock set his bag down, extending his hands to her. She gazed at them momentarily before taking them, pulling herself up. They both stood still as Zuria regained her balance, only to lose it seconds later. Spock caught her, holding her up. Her breath smelled fruity and sweet, giving him a hint as to the sort of alcoholic beverage she'd consumed.

"Tell me, Zuria: how many Cardassian sunrises have you imbibed?"

"Uh…" She started, pausing to think. "Three? Four?"

He couldn't leave her alone in her current state. She was almost too drunk to comprehend anything.

"Please, allow me to escort you back to your room." He insisted, picking up his bag. She merely nodded, allowing him to bring her into the dormitory building and to her room. Reaching down, he clutched onto her hand, lifting at and placing it on the scanner. The door slid open, granting them access. Spock set down his things before continuing to Zuria's bedroom. He set her down on her bed, straightening his uniform.

"Is there anything that you require?" He asked.

"Yes," She responded, standing carefully and shuffling into her bathroom. He heard water from the sink followed by the sound of Zuria brushing her teeth. Once she emerged, she plopped down onto her bed. Spock moved around, kneeling next to her. He tentatively grasped her hand, running his thumb over it.

"I will be here should you have need of me." He promised, speaking quietly. She struggled to hold his gaze while her eyelids fluttered shut from time to time.

"Y'know, you have the _nicest_ eyes." She said, much to his surprise. "And I love your ears." She continued, touching the tip of his ear gently, sliding her fingers down to his neck.

"Zuria, I am afraid that the alcohol is speaking for you." Spock said, enjoying the intimate touch nonetheless.

"No, it's not." She assured him, attempting to keep the slur from her speech. "I-"

She was unable to finish, however, as her eyelids finally sealed themselves shut and her breathing grew heavy. Spock waited for a several minutes before pulling his hand away from hers. He stood, moving away from her bed.

"Computer, lights."

The lights instantly flickered off, leaving the entire apartment without illumination, save for the small amount of light that the computer provided for navigating in the dark.

"Goodnight, Zuria." He said, casting one last glance at her before stepping through the door.

* * *

**_Hey guys!_**

**_So, quick update. I just basically started writing this chapter last night after listening to some techno and wondering what would happen if I sent Zuria clubbing. This was the result. Fun, huh?_**

**_I'll admit, though, that it was a bit difficult to write. Not in the normal sense, however; I've been watching my old "Heroes" DVDs, and I ended up writing the name "Sylar" instead of "Spock" many times throughout. I don't know why, I just guess Zachary Quinto just has me confused with his many forms of amazingness. I thusly apologize if there were any points in this chapter that confused you because of that._**

**_Anyways, I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! As always, I'd really appreciate it if you could review; I love hearing your comments._**

**_Thanks_**

**_-Harley_**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight**_

* * *

There was hardly any light when Zuria finally awoke. This was fact that she was thankful for; she had a splitting headache, and too much light would have only made it worse.

_What happened last night?_ She wondered, pressing her hand against her forehead, sitting up. She looked down, realizing that she wore one of Pallania's dresses.

_Uh-oh._

Wincing, Zuria stood from her bed, nearly tripping over a pair of boots that lay discarded on the floor. She groaned, picking up the boots and throwing them onto Pallania's bed; from the looks of them, they could only be hers.

Zuria carefully moved to the bathroom, now grateful for the small bit of light that the computer provided, even when all other lights were off. She looked in the mirror, squeezing her eyes shut after gazing at herself. Her hair was a mess, and the remnants of last night's make-up still traced the lids of her eyes. Turning on the faucet, she splashed her face several times with ice-cold water, patting her skin dry with a towel after she was done. She then picked up her brush, tugging it through her hair several times before tying it back into a ponytail; the quickest solution, as always.

Exiting the bathroom, she returned to her room. For a moment, she considered changing out of the tight black dress that clothed her and into something normal; her uniform, anything other than the dress. However, she felt a pang in her stomach that told her changing could wait until _after_ she'd eaten something.

Stepping out of her bedroom, Zuria found that the rest of the apartment was mostly dark as well. _Something went on here_, she thought, furrowing her eyebrows. It smelled as though someone had been cooking with cinnamon.

Zuria's suspicion caused her to travel into the living room. Her breath caught in her throat; someone sat cross-legged on her sofa. Squinting, she almost gasped and ran back into her room when she deciphered who it was.

Spock. It was Spock that sat before her, meditating.

_Oh, shit._

The sight of him brought back her memory of the night before; going to a club with Pallania, consuming too many Cardassian Sunrises, leaving the club, Spock escorting her home, and her expressing her like of his ears and eyes; she was sure that she would have expressed much more had she not passed out cold.

"Computer, lights; dimmed to forty percent." Spock's voice came, making everything all the more real. The lights turned quickly on, though, per Spock's command, were dimmed significantly, making it easier on Zuria's headache.

Opening his eyes, Spock uncrossed his legs, standing.

"Good morning." He greeted, clasping his hands together in front of him.

"Morning," She replied, her voice thick with sleep. "So… why are you here? Not in a rude way, of course." She inquired, clarifying the terms of her question.

"You were highly intoxicated, Zuria. It would not have been logical for me to leave you alone without anyone to assist you, should you have had need." He explained.

"Oh." She acknowledged. "Thank you."

"Your thanks are welcome, but unneeded. I simply chose to do what seemed best." He assured her, taking several steps forward.

"The cinnamon…?" She began, trailing off.

"I have prepared breakfast for you. I assume that you are hungry?" He asked, gaining a nod in response. They moved to the kitchen, where Spock had made what appeared to be French toast. The computer had kept the food warm. A fork, a knife, and a glass of orange juice all sat to the side of the plate, waiting for her.

"This time, I believe that thanks _are_ required." Zuria said, incredibly grateful to him for being so thoughtful.

"I accept them." He returned, picking up her plate and silverware and transferring it to the kitchen table. Zuria picked up the orange juice glass, setting it down next to the plate. Both of them sat down, and she began to cut into her food.

The first bite came as a shock to her. _This_ was not normal French toast. It was spicy, hot, and sweet; one of the best things she'd ever tasted.

"What _is_ this?" She questioned after swallowing.

"It is a Vulcan version of what I believe is called _French toast_ to you." He answered, his lips curved upwards only slightly.

"It's amazing." She said, cutting another piece.

"Again, I thank you."

The rest of the time passed relatively quietly as Zuria was eating, due partly to her recalling the previous night with both excitement and shame. _I touched his ear,_ she thought, _and his neck._

After finishing her breakfast, Zuria felt considerably better. Standing, she carried all of her things to the sink, rinsing them before putting them into the dishwasher.

"Um… Spock?" She started, cutting through the silence.

"Yes, Zuria?"

She looked down, exhaling before continuing. "I'm so sorry. I wish that you hadn't needed to see me drunk."

"Truly, there is no need to apologize. I am sure that it was not your intention to intoxicate yourself." He assured her. It didn't seem to help much, however, so he added: "To be honest, you are the most pleasant drunken person that I have ever encountered." He told her in a voice that sounded very lightly teasing.

_Yeah, I'm sure. I bet that's because you've never had a drunken person come on to you before._

"Well, I'm glad, then." She responded, forcing a smile onto her lips. This was where the discussion would end, she hoped.

It was, thankfully.

"Would you like me to correct the assignments that I delivered to you yesterday?" Spock asked, standing from the table.

"No," She replied, shaking her head. "I'll do them. You've done enough for me already. I'll get them to you this evening." She promised.

"Zuria, I do not want you to strain yourself to do this task. You have been very helpful to me as my aide, and if you are not up to-"

"Please," She cut in, raising a hand up. "I can do it. It's just one homework assignment that I need to correct."

There was a brief pause between them before he finally spoke.

"Are you certain?" He questioned, gazing at her with what appeared to be concern.

"Yes. Don't worry about me; you've taken excellent care of me; I'm fine." She reassured him. He nodded slowly.

"Very well, then." He said, moving out of the kitchen. She followed him to the door, standing by as he gathered his things. "I will see you this evening."

"Spock," Zuria began, placing a hand softly on his chest, preventing him from leaving for several moments. "Thanks again. I would probably be asleep on the ground somewhere if it wasn't for you."

Spock glanced down, covering her hand with his. "You are welcome." He said for a final time before pulling her hand from him, placing it by her side. With a bow of his head, he stepped from the room, moving swiftly down the hallway.

Zuria stood, frozen in place as she watched him walk away. Why couldn't evening come sooner?

* * *

**_Hey guys!_**

**_Wow. I don't know what's happening with all these speedy updates; I guess it's just that it's summer. Either way, I'm feeling good about getting them done so quickly!_**

**_The next chapter will probably be up tomorrow, the way I'm going now. And, if things keep going as I've planned with the story, it should be a very enjoyable one. Hehe._**

**_Thanks to everyone that has review thus far. I must again say that reviews and messages are truly incentive for me to continue writing (aside from the fact that writing is fun, of course)._**

**_Hope you enjoyed the chapter! More to come soon, I promise._**

**_Thanks,_**

**_Harley_**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter Nine**_

* * *

It had been a long two and a half weeks since what Zuria had began calling the "Cardassian Sunrise Incident" had passed. Each second that she spent with Spock was both wonderful and torturous; she loved being with him (in fact, she had been hard pressed of late to admit to liking something more), but each subtle touch filled her with excitement and despair. It was highly unlikely, she'd told herself, that Spock would ever act on his interest in her; if, indeed, he was interested. After all, he was her professor and her superior. _And_ he was Vulcan.

Presently, she sat with the selfsame Vulcan at his desk. He had assigned the class an essay to write, as they had just finished reading a famous piece of Vulcan literature. The two of them had already been grading for several hours and had barely gotten half of the papers done.

Glancing up from an essay that she had been reading, Zuria turned to check the time. _6:32 o'clock._

"Is there something that is bothering you, Zuria?" Spock questioned, sensing her change in focus.

"No, not really; I'm just a little bit hungry." She responded, waving a hand dismissively. He sat very still for a moment before setting down his pen, transferring his grip to the arms of his chair.

"Very well, then." He acknowledged, standing. "Let us make a visit to the mess hall, shall we?"

Looking briefly down at the essay before her, she nodded. "Ok. Just for a little while; we still have a lot of essays." She consented, adding in a brief reminder.

"I am aware; however, a brief period of respite could be of some good to us both.

Accepting his words, Zuria stood as well, taking her place next to Spock as they exited his office and ventured to the mess hall.

Surprisingly, it was relatively empty when they arrived. Only several small groups of cadets were seated at the tables. Spock and Zuria retreated to their usual secluded spot, him sitting down.

"Are you going to get food?" She asked, gripping onto the back of her chair.

"I do not feel the pressing urge to consume anything at present." He informed her. "If, however, you wish for me to join you-"

"No, it's ok." She cut in, raising a hand. "I'll be right back."

And she was true to her word. As she was in his presence, she chose her meal very carefully. In the end, it turned out to be composed of only strawberries and yogurt.

"Are you positive that the foods you have selected will be filling enough?" He inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes." She answered, opening the yogurt and taking a spoonful. "Like I said, I'm only a little hungry."

The discussion about food ended there. Zuria thusly changed the subject.

"How do the essays that you've been grading look?" She questioned, reaching for a strawberry.

"They are fine," He began, clasping his hands together and resting his chin on them. "I feel that some of them are missing the proverbial point."

"Which is…?" She prompted.

"Zuria, I am sure that I do not need to inform _you_ which "point" I am speaking of." He told her. His words called for an answer.

"No, you don't." She agreed. After all, she was his aide. "The _point_ is that Vulcans really do have emotions that run very deeply within them, emotions that they control with logic."

There was silence between them for a short period of time. Zuria could hear his changed breathing, and she was certain that he could hear hers.

"You are correct." He replied at last, speaking no more on the subject. The conversations that followed were about trivial things; the weather, the states of their other classes, and how their evenings had been spent. A debate about flavors of yogurt also occurred; vanilla, they had decided, was the best bet in all situations, due to its universal appeal as a flavor in general.

Their time spent in the mess hall drew to a close shortly after Zuria had finished eating. Discarding her garbage, she rejoined Spock, returning to his office with him. He placed his hand on the scanner, causing the door to slide open. He gestured for her to enter the room first. She did, sitting back down in her seat, him mirroring her actions.

"Are you ready to continue?" He asked, reaching for his pen.

"I am." She informed him, picking up her pen as well.

Several more hours passed, and the stack of papers had thinned considerably. Spock and Zuria's arms had brushed several times as they reached for the next essay, sending a jolt through her body. The air around them had grown both tense and, at the same time, strangely relaxed. These two opposites together made her hypersensitive, a chill setting in over her body.

At last, the two of them had reached their final essays. Glancing sideways, Zuria saw that it was her own essay that Spock held. She read carefully through the paper that she had just picked up. Unfortunately for her, it was a relatively short one, and she was subjected to what was almost tangible silence as he read her essay.

After finishing, he set it down. She noted that he had not made a single marking on the paper.

"You appear to be cold, Zuria." Spock acknowledged, shifting his gaze to her. She glanced down, noticing for the first time that goose bumps covered her arms.

"A little." She said. Biting the inside of her cheek, she reached for his hand, her own shaking slightly as she did so. However, she almost drew back when their skin met.

"You realize that you're just as cold, Spock." She informed him, turning his hand over and running her thumb across his palm. Even she was surprised at the boldness of her actions; after all, this time she was sober.

Spock, however, did not pull his hand away.

"As I am sure you are well aware, Vulcan is a hotter planet than Earth. We must, as such, have cooler skin than humans." He explained, though his eyebrows drew slightly together. "The temperature difference between humans and Vulcans is not generally noticeable. I am surprised that you were able to detect it."

Zuria blamed her current hypersensitivity.

"So… was my essay satisfactory?" She questioned, changing the subject.

"Very much so, yes." He informed her, his eyebrows returning to their usual place.

"Did I get the point?"

"Yes. I could not have stated it better myself." He replied, a small grin drawing at the corners of his lips at her tone of voice. She chuckled once before the silence returned.

This time, however, the silence was expectant. Their eyes met; both of them were waiting for the other to say or do something.

Zuria's heart began to palpitate in what felt like an entirely irregular manner to her. It sped up, skipping several beats as well. Inhaling deeply, she inclined her head towards Spock's slightly, shortening the distance between them. His face drew closer as well, and she felt his breath as it delicately touched her skin.

For what seemed like both decades and seconds, they sat unmoving. Zuria had half the mind to pull away, brushing off the moment, gathering her things and leaving.

To her surprise, however, Spock took his free hand and placed it under her chin, closing his eyes before drawing her in to meet his lips.

For the briefest moment, Zuria was almost frozen, but her eyes shut and she responded to his gentle kiss.

He pulled away first, turning his glance to the pile of essays that they had completed.

"Forgive me, Zuria. That was entirely inappropriate. Should you desire to report my actions to-"

He was interrupted by Zuria's finger as it pressed against his lips, quieting him.

"You'll have to report my actions too, then." She said. "Because I kissed you back, and I certainly didn't want you to stop."

She lifted both of her hands, holding his face still as she brought her mouth to his. He hesitated for several moments before placing a hand on her back, trailing his fingers slowly up and down. He traced his tongue carefully along her lips, tempting them to part. When they did, she found herself pleasantly surprised; he tasted like cinnamon.

When they broke away, Zuria found herself grinning. That was the best kiss she'd ever had; maybe it was a Vulcan thing.

Either way, neither of them was finished, and they were content to let the clock tick away as they continued to kiss.

* * *

**_Hey guys!_**

**_Well, another quick update. I'll try and have one up tomorrow, too. Wednesday is less likely, however; I have to travel. Fortunately, though, I always bring my laptop with me when I go anywhere, which means that updates will still happen._**

**_So... I told you that this would be an exciting chapter. I'm pretty sure I kept my word. Hehe._**

**_If you'd be so kind, I'd love it if you'd leave a review. It truly means a lot to me._**

**_Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter._**

**_-Harley_**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter Ten**_

* * *

Spock did not rise with the sun that morning; there was hardly a need to wake up when you hadn't fallen asleep in the first place. Of course, he'd attempted to sleep. He'd shifted positions many times; moving from his back, to his stomach, to his side, and returning to his back. None of this, unfortunately, seemed to assist him any in gaining sleep.

It was her that prevented him from sleeping: Zuria. Every few minutes, his mind would conjure up the images and memories that it had gained in his office that night; the way that her lips had felt as they moved against his, the smiles that had appeared on her face each time they broke apart, and the way she had shivered into his touch, not attempting to conceal her enjoyment.

That, though, was where all pleasantness ended. He had found himself troubled the moment that she had left his office. The logic of what he had done was, well, _not_. There was nothing logical about him being attracted to aide, and there was _certainly_ nothing logical about kissing her. His deep-rooted Vulcan emotions may have been strongly in favor of his actions, but, again, logic told him that said feelings were irrelevant; a relationship with his aide would be entirely inappropriate.

However, Spock's human emotions told him otherwise. It was only _logical _that he had these feelings and desires; after all, he couldn't help the fact that he was attracted to her. Human logic stated that he should pursue the relationship that he had been carefully cultivating with her.

And, thus, he was conflicted. He could not yet reconcile himself to one belief, nor could he, at present, find a way to join the two together. He had meditated on the matter for the majority of the night, and still he had reached no conclusion.

Putting his thoughts aside, Spock at last ended his meditation, his eyes opening slowly. He stood, moving to his closet and pulling out a clean uniform. He changed into it easily, replacing the hanger on the hook and shutting the door. Breakfast was a simple affair as well; a quick bowl of what humans called cereal was all that he truly needed.

Gathering his things, Spock made his way to his classroom, stopping first in his office to retrieve the essays that had been completed. He left the room as quickly as possible; he could still feel the events of last night, tempting his human reasoning even more.

This temptation, however, did not subside when he reached the Advanced Vulcan Studies classroom. Just as he had anticipated, Zuria was there waiting for him.

"Good morning, Spock." She greeted, offering him a smile.

"Good morning." He returned stiffly, placing his things on his desk. He stood utterly still as she moved several steps closer to him.

"How was the rest of your evening?" She questioned.

"It was… acceptable." He replied, pretending to be organizing things atop his desk in order to avoid making eye contact. She was making this exceedingly difficult; each word she spoke enticed him further, and he could not think of anything more that he wanted in that moment than her soft lips pressed against his once more.

"Oh. I'm sorry that it wasn't more pleasant." She apologized, growing hesitant in her actions. He knew that she sensed his struggle, but could not identify it. He merely nodded, accepting her apology. More students could be walking in at any second, and his urge to touch her had not diminished any.

Spock could feel her confusion; it almost radiated off of her. Perhaps he should put an end to their deepening relationship before it fully began; he did not want to risk her expulsion from the academy due to her connection to him.

"Allow me to take this opportunity to inform you that I do not require your assistance this evening." He told her, forcing his voice to sound uncaring. Her eyebrows knit together; she was evidently masking her developing hurt. "You are free to do as you wish."

"Really?" She asked, her voice tense. "Because I recall you telling me last night that we'd meet in your office at the same time to create a lesson plan."

"Cadet, you have not had a free evening since assuming the position of my aide. I encourage you to take some time for rest."

_"Cadet?"_ She posed the word as a question, incredulousness apparent. "You don't call me that. Spock, please, just tell me what's wrong." She implored. Spock sighed, preparing to answer her. Zuria deserved more than his honesty, but if he explained the problem, perhaps she would understand.

However, he was unable to do so. The beginning of class was announced, and, after holding eye contact with him for several moments, Zuria returned to her seat.

Throughout the class, the feeling grew on Spock that he could not give up on her, no matter what logic dictated; she wouldn't let him, and he wasn't sure if he would let himself.

* * *

For at least the last five minutes, Zuria had been standing in front of Spock's office. She had made a brief stop back at her room, dropping off her things and avoiding Pallania's questions regarding her dour mood. She was not ready to tell her roommate, or anyone else, for that matter, about what transpired between her and Spock. She stood before his office now, knowing that she needed to confront him, gathering the courage to do so.

Inhaling, she lifted her hand, knocking on the door. She squeezed her eyes shut, opening them only when the door did.

"Good afternoon, Zuria." Spock greeted in a monotone voice. "May I inquire as to what brought you here when I told you that I did not need your assistance today?"

"No, actually." She responded, folding her arms together across her chest. "You may not, because you know what brought me here, Spock, and I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong."

Minutes passed before he gave a soft sigh. "It was an attempt."

"An attempt to what?" She questioned. He moved to the side, allowing her to enter his office.

"To eliminate the possibility of you being expelled from the academy, should anyone discover this." He replied, referring to the relationship between them. Wetting her lips, Zuria raised a hand, placing it on Spock's cheek. He pressed his own hand against hers.

"_That's_ what this is about?" She asked, a small, relieved grin appearing on her face. Though she hated to admit it, she was afraid the he had lost interest in her.

"I cannot allow you to risk your position at Star Fleet because of my feelings." He continued.

"Spock, if it was just you that had these feelings, then I wouldn't be doing this." She assured, pressing herself carefully against him. "I know that it sounds… incredibly illogical, but I'm willing to take a risk."

Exhaling, Spock pulled his hand from its place atop of hers, gently folding an arm around her while tucking her head beneath his chin.

"Are you certain that this is what you want?" He inquired in a whisper. Shivering, Zuria nodded.

"Yes."

"Then I will not deny either of our sentiments again."

She allowed her eyes to close as he pressed his lips to her forehead, then dropping to hers. She responded his kiss, her tongue seeking out his this time. As they met, she felt her lips curve upwards slightly. Cinnamon. He tasted, again, of cinnamon.

When they pulled away, Spock grasped her hands, holding them in his.

"Now that we have both acknowledged our affections for each other and have decided to pursue a relationship, I must admit that I have a question." He informed her.

"And what might that be?" She questioned in return.

"Does this, in human terms, make me your…" He began, hesitating. "Boyfriend?"

Zuria chuckled at the question. He had spoken the word "boyfriend" as though it were derived from some strange, barely recognizable language.

"Technically, yes; but we can classify us using another word, if you'd like." She offered. She was unsure if the word itself would suit Spock.

"Vulcans simply refer to those with whom they share a romantic relationship as their mates." He said.

"On second thought, let's not attempt to classify ourselves; we don't need to."

"Agreed, Zuria. Let us at this time, however, refrain from speech." Spock suggested, eliciting a grin from her.

_That_ was a request that she was all too willing to oblige.

* * *

**_Hey, guys!_**

**_Hehe, sorry that I didn't update yesterday like I said I would. It turned out that I was traveling on Tuesday instead of Wednesday. _**

**_So, now I must apologize for something else. I'm sorry if that chapter was a bit... er, suckish or weird. I dunno; I was trying to write a lot of this one about three hours of sleep, which wasn't necessarily a good decision. Whoops._**

**_I don't think I'll have a chapter uploaded tomorrow; I do hope to have one done for Friday, however._**

**_Regardless, reviews are always appreciated. They really do help me in many ways._**

**_Thanks,_**

**_Harley_**


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter Eleven**_

* * *

Zuria had been in several relationships in her time; none of them, however, were even comparable to the one she had just begun with Spock; of course, this stemmed partially from the fact that he was a Vulcan, but extended further than that. His touch was infinitely more intoxicating than that of any human man, and his company was vastly more stimulating. Truth be told, Zuria could not remember ever connecting with anyone the way that she did with him; that, though, did not say much, considering she had never been a people person the way that, for example, her roommate was.

Tonight, however, was a landmark event; Spock and Zuria's first official date.

"I believe that there is a tradition between mates that we have thus far failed to observe." He'd pointed out to her.

"Really? And what might that be?" She had asked.

"We have not yet ventured on what humans call a date."

She only then noticed that this was true. After almost two months of being together, they had still not gone on an official date, usually meeting in his office instead. She hadn't exactly felt that it was necessary for them to go on a date; in fact, she'd almost forgotten that they existed. But, of course, she had agreed to his suggestion.

She now stood before a mirror, smoothing out the wrinkles in her uniform; they had decided that it would be best if they wore them on the date, as others would be less likely to suspect their true purpose for meeting each other, were anyone to intrude upon their evening. Zuria couldn't say that she minded remaining in uniform; it eliminated the stress that may have come with selecting an outfit. She picked up her brush, running it once through her hair. She had already put on a small amount of make-up, that being mascara and the smallest amount of eyeliner. Exhaling, she turned from the mirror; she was ready.

She left the room (surprisingly) without a second glance from Pallania. The uniform idea was already working.

She arrived at Spock's apartment several minutes later, knocking on the door. It slid open, revealing him. He stood aside, allowing her to enter. Once the door closed, she lifted her head, pressing her mouth briefly against his in greeting.

"You look lovely, Zuria." He complimented, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I really don't look any different than I normally do." She told him, smiling.

"I am aware." He replied. She gave a small chuckle, kissing his cheek. It was only after their exchange that she truly looked about the room. The lights were dimmed significantly, and the air was thick with the heady scent of spices. Stepping in further, she saw that several candles sat on his dining table along with various plates of food.

"Wow. You really went all out, didn't you?" She questioned. "Candles and everything."

"I believe that they contribute significantly to the atmosphere." He responded.

"They most certainly do." She agreed, allowing her eyes to close momentarily. This was perfect; for most first dates, this would seem overwhelmingly intimate, but, as their relationship had been different (to say the least), Zuria welcomed it.

Taking her hand, Spock led her to the table, pulling her chair out for her. She sat, her hands resting in her lap as he took his place in front of her.

"More Vulcan food?" She asked, her eyes traveling over the table, finally meeting his gaze.

"Yes." He confirmed. "Your response to the dishes that I have prepared in the past convinced me to prepare more."

"I thought when you said that you wanted to go on a date that you meant we'd be going to some restaurant." She began. "I'm glad that's not the case."

"And why is that?"

"I've never been in a relationship with a man that could cook. It's… impressive, to say the least." She said, grinning.

"Then I have succeeded in my endeavor." He returned, his lips curving slightly upwards. She gave a small laugh, watching curiously as he poured what appeared to be Vulcan wine into her glass.

"I wasn't aware that you drank alcohol."

"I cannot say that I consume much of it; Vulcans are unaffected by alcohol." He informed her, setting the bottle down.

"Oh, right." She confirmed, recalling a statement that Bones had made once about Vulcans and their lack of response to what he preferred to call "booze."

The conversation came to a temporary halt as Spock filled both of their plates. Zuria took a sip of the wine, closing her eyes briefly as she did so, savoring the spicy taste of the drink.

The first bite of food brought equal enjoyment; everything was composed of such a complex, tantalizing mix of flavors. Spock seemed to enjoy spoiling her as such; she knew that it was because he had chosen her, and she was well aware that Vulcans did not take any decision lightly, especially when it came choosing a mate. This made her feel incredibly special; more so than she thought she deserved to feel.

"Is cooking a traditional Vulcan way of showing affection for someone?" Zuria questioned; though she was quite familiar with other aspects of Vulcan culture, she had been learning from Spock what the romantic customs were.

"No, it is not," He replied, looking away briefly. "But it was a way that my father showed affection to my mother."

"I'm s-"

"Do not apologize, Zuria." He interrupted. "It is unnecessary. I am positive, however, that my mother would have been incredibly fond of you."

"I would have loved to meet her." She said, taking his hand and pressing it to her lips. The conversation ended there, and they were quick to bring up other matters; things such as friends and work seemed to be the topics of choice.

As the meal drew to a close, however, Zuria felt the casual indifference of such discussions fade away, leaving her with a strengthening sense of desire welling up within her core. She felt almost embarrassed for having the thoughts that traveled through her mind; they all seemed as though they belonged in Pallania's mind, not hers.

"Are you well?" Spock inquired, raising an eyebrow. His temporary concern led her to the discovery that her hands had clenched roughly onto the table.

"Yes," She assured, releasing her grip. "I'm fine."

He asked no further questions about her state of being. Zuria moved as though she were going to assist in cleaning, but Spock stopped her.

"Please, allow me to do the cleaning."

"I don't have a problem with helping you, Spock." She told him, holding her plate in her hands.

"I insist that you relax whilst I clean. I will be back shortly." He said, gently pulling the plate from her hands and stacking on top of several other plates, disappearing into the kitchen with them. Zuria made her way to the couch, sitting. She would have to get back at Pallania someday for filling her head with such thoughts as the ones that were present at the time.

_Two and a half years, _she thought. It had been two and a half years since she'd felt this way, and hardly to the same magnitude as now. She was almost ashamed to have these desires, as she was unsure how Spock would respond to them.

"Was the meal satisfactory?" He asked, joining her at last on the couch.

"Incredibly so." She replied, smiling. She leaned in to him, pressing her mouth against his. He was quick to respond, his lips parting, his tongue seeking out hers. She could taste the wine in his kiss. She wrapped her arms around him, giving a soft sigh as his hand brushed against her cheek.

He pulled away several moments later, holding her face in his hands.

"I have observed a change in your behavior this evening." He informed her, causing her stomach to flip.

"Really? What kind of change?" She inquired, pressing a kiss against his ear.

"You have become sexually aroused." He stated in a low voice. She pulled back, her gaze meeting his.

"And you?" She questioned, her heart pounding loud enough for him to hear.

"I cannot deny that I am equally aroused." He said. Relief washed over her, and she moved to kiss him again, but he held her face still. "But I do not want to engage in any such activity unless you are certain that it is what you desire."

"Spock, I've never wanted this more than I do now, with you." She promised, flushing lightly. She couldn't make herself say the words.

"Then we have the same sentiments." He informed her, accepting her statement. Grinning, she brought her lips to his again. Through their kiss, he pulled her onto his lap, then lifting her and standing. He carried her into his room as though she weighed almost nothing, setting her down upon his neatly made bed. She kicked her boots off, letting them fall to the floor. Spock assisted her in removing her uniform, which were quick to join her boots. He said nothing for a few moments, his eyes wandering over her now barely clad figure.

"I didn't think that you'd want to examine me like this." She commented, chuckling.

"I may not be entirely human, Zuria, but as I am sure you are fully aware, I _am_ male. The interest in a woman's physical body is a shared trait between Vulcans and humans." He told her, looking away briefly. "If you do not wish to-"

"Spock," She cut in, pulling him to her by his uniform. "We should refrain from speech at this time." She suggested, teasing him only a little. The corners of his mouth turned slightly upwards for several seconds. He lowered his lips to hers once more before responding:

"I have no desire to disagree."

* * *

**_Hey guys!_**

**_Okay, so let me start off by apologizing: I'm so sorry. I've had this chapter done for a while now, but my computer had this weird problem that made it so I couldn't connect to the internet. I had to wait for my uncle to come visit for it to get fixed. I'm not sure if the solution will hold up, but I sincerely hope that it does. Hopefully, however, this chapter made up for the wait. I'm working on the next one now, and I'm thinking that it'll be up either tomorrow or Friday. _**

**_Thank you for your patience! As always, reviews are welcomed. I love hearing your feedback- it helps me a lot._**

**_Thanks, _**

**_Harley_**


	12. Chapter 12

_**Chapter Twelve**_

* * *

Spock awoke to a curious sensation; that of another body resting on his own. Zuria's head rested upon his chest, a hand pressed against his stomach. His arms held her tightly against him, leaving no space between their bodies.

Last night.

Spock recalled the previous night; the sounds that Zuria had made, how lovely she had looked, and what it truly felt like to be so close to another person. Of course, he had heard from human men (mostly Jim, of course) how wonderful it felt to reach an orgasm, but he knew that none of those men could truly attest to feeling the same euphoria that he had felt; biologically, he knew that the pleasure a Vulcan derived from intercourse was much greater than what any human could be capable of feeling.

His thoughts caused him to glance down at Zuria. Her breath was warm against his skin, and he placed a hand gently on top of her head, running his fingers through her hair. If only she could see how close to perfect she was at that moment.

The delicate touch caused her to shift slightly, inching herself up on his chest. She gave a sigh, sending another wave of warm air over his body. He placed his hand on top of hers, pressing a light kiss to the top of her head.

"Spock," She spoke his name softly, sounding almost as though she were still asleep.

"Yes, Zuria?"

She made no reply. Instead, she slid her body up his, resting her head on his shoulder and pressing her lips to his. Spock removed his hand from hers, placing it under her chin, holding her to the kiss. She broke away several moments later, smiling.

"How are you this morning?" She questioned.

"If we are being entirely honest, I must admit that I cannot recall ever feeling so well in my entire life." He answered, his words entirely truthful. He knew why; against all logic, he had allowed himself to fall in love with Zuria. Perhaps later, upon further meditation, he could find the logic in his love, but presently, he did not feel the need to trouble himself with such thought. He was certain that it was the love-making that had made him feel as such.

"We have that in common, then." She chuckled, shifting so that her body rested on top of his. He drew her mouth to his, kissing her again. She responded eagerly, her lips parting. Spock savored the taste of her; it was familiarly sweet, like vanilla.

Pulling away, she placed her hands on his chest. "It's Saturday." She reminded him.

"I am well aware of the date." He acknowledged.

"Which means that neither of us have to be anywhere for a while." She continued, dragging a finger slowly across his skin. Spock's eyes brightened as he realized what she was trying to say.

"If you would like to recreate the events of last evening, then I must say that I have no desire to prevent such a thing from happening." He informed her, brushing her hair back. She grinned, pressing a kiss against his ear.

Unfortunately, however, the sound of Spock's PADD interrupted them.

"Incoming transmission from Admiral Christopher Pike." It alerted him. Spock stood quickly, grabbing his robe and clothing himself in it.

"Please wait here." He told Zuria. She nodded, rolling onto her back as he stepped out of the bedroom. "Accept transmission."

Admiral Pike appeared on the screen. "Good morning, Spock." He greeted.

"Good morning, Admiral." Spock returned. "Might I inquire as to your purpose for contacting me?"

"There's been some trouble with Klingons recently; we believe that they might be planning attacks on several peaceful federation planets." Pike began. "There's a meeting that's being held; all ranks of commander and above are required to attend."

"At what time will this meeting occur?"

"In twenty minutes. Sorry to tell you on such short notice; it's become a matter of some urgency, though."

Spock blinked, preventing himself from showing any signs of upset. This meeting had effectively cut into what would have been incredibly pleasant morning plans.

"I will be there." He promised. They exchanged farewells before he returned to the bedroom, setting his PADD down on his bedside table.

"What's going on?" Zuria inquired.

"Admiral Pike has informed me that I must be present a meeting in twenty minutes."

"Oh." Was her response.

"If it were not deemed a matter of some urgency by the federation, I would not attend." He told her. She stood from the bed, collecting her discarded clothes and dressing herself.

"I suppose we'll just have to continue this later." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck, her lips mere centimeters away from his.

"I will be waiting."

* * *

Zuria left Spock's apartment after kissing him several more times. She wasn't particularly happy with Admiral Pike at that moment; it wasn't truly his fault, but he was the only one that she could think to blame without cursing an entire warrior race for pulling her lover from her.

_Lover_. She thought the word carefully, repeating it to herself several times. She had known now for a while that she loved him, but she had never consciously thought about what it meant, about how truly monumental loving a Vulcan was; not many human women did. Vulcans could not easily return their sentiments; not without the proper encouragement, at least.

Shaking her head, Zuria continued in her planned course of direction; it was convenient that Spock and Bones lived in the same building. Her decision to pay him a visit stemmed mainly from her dread at meeting Pallania upon returning home. Her roommate would waste no time in interrogating her, asking every possible question that could expose the fact that she had slept with Spock. And once Pallania had pried _that_ information from her, she would grill her for each and every detail that she could possibly obtain. No; it was a better idea to visit Bones. He might inquire about people's personal matters, but he didn't generally give a damn, so long as they didn't affect him.

Once there, Zuria knocked loudly on the door.

"Bones? It's me." She called. The door opened to reveal Bones, dressed in a well-worn pair of jeans and a wrinkled shirt, a can of soda pop in his hand.

"Hey, Zuria. C'mon in." He invited, stepping aside to let her in. "Want a can of pop?"

"Sure." She accepted, waiting as he made a trip to his refrigerator, pulling a can out for her. She took it, opening it and raising it to her lips. She followed Bones to his couch, plopping down next to him.

"You look pretty happy." He observed, resting his feet on the coffee table in front of them. "What's up?"

"It's Saturday." She responded simply.

"Thank God." Bones said, taking a swig from his can. Zuria chuckled, mirroring his action.

"So, how are things going between you and that lieutenant?" She questioned, sincerely interested in his answer.

"I dunno," He responded, sighing. "I mean, she's gorgeous, and we get along really well; I just don't understand women."

Zuria paused, taking a moment to think. "You don't need to understand women." She told him. "You just need to understand her and make sure that she understands you."

"No offense, Zur," He began, taking another sip of his drink. "But that's not exactly the greatest advice. It's a bit vague."

She smiled at his words; Bones' honesty was one of the things that she admired most about him.

"Ok. My second piece of advice: be honest. That's one of the things that people like most about you. I bet she does, too."

"Couldn't you just have told me that I should wait for _her_ to do something?" Bones asked.

"Nope. But I'll take you out for drinks if things go badly." She promised.

"Well, at least something will come out of whatever happens." He grumbled, folding his arms over his chest.

"That's the spirit." She said, punching him on the arm.

"You got anybody these days?" Bones inquired. Zuria bit her cheek.

"What do you think?"

"Alright, ok." He laughed. "I'm actually glad that you're so damn picky. Means I don't have to worry about you doing stupid stuff with random guys."

Zuria grinned, her mind flashing back to last night. She was glad that she hadn't taken Pallania's advice and sought out some unnamed pretty boy to fool around with. Sex with Spock was worth a million times with other men, as far as she was concerned.

"I'm surprised that Jim hasn't contracted any STDs yet." She told him.

"Believe me, I have no idea how he does it." Bones replied, shaking his head. The two of them remained silent for several seconds, finishing their beverages. "I do have some good news, though." He started, wiping a hand across his mouth.

"What's that?" She questioned, setting her can down on the coffee table.

"It took some convincing and arguing with my higher ups, but I pulled some strings and got you a place working with me on the Enterprise."

"You got me a place on the _Enterprise_?" She repeated, incredulous. It was the dream of many a Star Fleet member to be stationed on board the prestigious U.S.S. Enterprise.

"Can't go flying off to some planet at warp speed without my best intern, now can I?"

"You're _amazing_, Bones!" She cried, flinging her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He tentatively returned the hug, patting her on the back.

"Well, yeah; but it doesn't hurt for you to tell me so." He chuckled. "Want to celebrate by going to the mess hall and getting some food?"

Zuria nodded, standing. This day, she was sure, was going to get progressively better. "Sounds good to me."

* * *

**_Hey guys!_**

**_So, I finally have a quick update for you! Yay! Hopefully this makes up for the long wait that you guys were forced to endure this last week. _**

**_I don't really have much else to say... I might post an interview on here at some point, as I've gotten many questions from you all. It depends._**

**_Anyways, hopefully you enjoyed the chapter. Reviews, as usual, are greatly appreciated._**

**_Thanks,_**

**_Harley_**


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

* * *

Zuria had returned home after spending a good portion of the day with Bones. They had done primarily insignificant things; they had spent at least an hour in the mess hall before returning to his apartment and playing hundred year-old board games for a long period of time. It was just the sort of thing she needed to calm her before being confronted by Pallania.

Little noise could be heard in her dorm room when she entered it later in the evening. She moved into the kitchen, taking a glass from its cupboard and filling it with water from the sink. She leaned against the counter as she sipped from the cup, her eyes traveling to the refrigerator. A small note was taped to it. Making her way across the room, she held it between her finger and thumb, reading it.

"Out for a while. Be back later." It read. Those words were followed by Pallania's signature, which was _then_ followed by "P.S., who'd you sex up last night?"

Zuria shook her head, crumpling the note and throwing it into the trash. She would have to think of a good cover story before her roommate returned home.

She walked slowly from the kitchen and into the bedroom, setting her glass down and picking several of her books up off of the floor, placing them on her bedside table. She plopped down on her bed, reaching for her glass and taking another swig of water before picking up her book of Vulcan poetry and opening it to a page that she had bookmarked. Each poem followed a perfect form; each was beautiful as well, though they were unsurprisingly vague.

The one that she had bookmarked, however, stood out from the rest. It was constructed with equal care and was written just as beautifully, but its author had been slightly clearer about the poem's theme; love. Reading of such affection from a Vulcan's perspective was insightful; it gave her the smallest glimpse into Spock's mind.

Setting the poetry book down, Zuria reached into her bag, pulling out her textbook. That moment seemed like an appropriate time to craft a lesson plan based on Vulcan poetry.

She spent the next hour flipping through her textbook and her poetry book, searching for any material that could be used in her lesson plan. She was relatively successful in this endeavor; that was, until breathy giggles announced the return of her roommate, along with another man.

"_Oh_, Jim!"

Rolling her eyes, Zuria stood from her bed, throwing several things into a bag, quickly exiting their bedroom. This was the perfect excuse for her to leave the dorm to be with Spock; without receiving any questions from Pallania, of course.

"Oh, hey, Zuria." Jim said, grinning at her before returning his lips to the other girl's neck. She looked as though she were about to speak, but Zuria held up her hand, cutting her off.

"Save it; I'm already leaving." She informed them, gesturing to the bedroom. "It's all yours."

She left before Pallania had a chance to say another word. It was fortunate that she did; her PADD notified her of an incoming transmission from Spock. She accepted it, his face then appearing to her on the screen.

"Good evening, Zuria." He greeted.

"Hello, Spock." She returned.

"You have a bag with you." He observed.

"Yes, I do; Pallania and Jim decided to conduct their session in our room tonight." She explained. He nodded in response.

"I do not believe that I need to extend an invitation for you to stay at my home tonight; you are welcome any time." He told her. She could only smile in return.

"I'll be right over." She assured him, ending the transmission.

True to her word, Zuria arrived at his apartment within minutes. She knocked on the door, allowing her bag to fall from her shoulder to the crook of her arm. Spock was there to open the door immediately after she knocked. She stepped into his apartment, dropping her bag onto the coffee table in front of the couch before turning to him and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. She could already feel heat building up in her abdomen, signifying that she was indeed ready to pick up where her morning so disappointingly left off.

"How was the meeting?" She questioned, brushing her fingers against his face.

"It was a matter of importance," He began, grasping her hand and holding it in his. "That is not to say, however, that I was pleased to attend."

Zuria chuckled. "I can understand why."

"And I am certain that you shared in my displeasure."

"I did, but I have to wonder; what was the meeting about?" She inquired, raising his hand and pressing it against her face. He stroked her cheek several times before speaking.

"We have encountered quandaries of late with the Klingon people. There have been strikingly more disputes between them and those who inhabit Chandra V." He told her. She nodded in acknowledgment.

"I get it. Star Fleet may have to cut in."

"Precisely."

Zuria inhaled before speaking. "I've got news."

"What news might that be?" He asked, brushing a piece of hair away from her face.

"I've been stationed aboard the Enterprise." She informed him. He remained silent for a moment before replying.

"I am very pleased that we will not be parted due to space missions." He said, kissing the tip of her nose. "We must be very careful, though. We cannot allow our relationship to be discovered."

"I know, but we've been very good about hiding… us. I think we should be fine." She assured him.

"I believe that we will be fine as well." He agreed, snaking his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. "But I have no desire to continue this discussion."

"Then what _do_ you desire?" She questioned playfully, holding her mouth only centimeters away from his.

"To continue the events of this morning." He answered, closing the distance between them. Her lips parted, allowing his tongue to sweep through her mouth. She brought her hands up to his face, holding him to the kiss. A rush of warmth pooled in her core, causing her to gasp softly. Spock was sensitive to the sound, pulling his lips from hers and transferring them to her neck, nipping gently at the skin as he navigated to the bedroom. He pulled an arm away from her body, shutting the door before slowly lifting the top of her uniform from her and tossing it aside. He allowed his gaze to linger on her before unzipping her skirt, letting it fall to the floor. He traced a finger along her abdomen, causing her to shiver. She grasped his wrist, pulling his hand from her body and placing it at his side. She then gripped onto his shirt, raising it above his head and allowing it to join her discarded clothing.

Picking her up, Spock set her carefully on the bed, kissing the top of her head. He dropped a hand to her thigh, stroking it slowly as he lowered his lips to her collarbone.

"Spock," She moaned, pressing her hands against his head and back. She could feel his mouth curve upwards slightly, knowing that he was pleased at eliciting such a response from her. She held him to her, removing his pants from his body, leaving both of them in only their underclothes. He moved to kiss her again, but she placed a finger against his lips.

"Wait," She said, pulling her finger away, sitting up.

"Is there something wrong, Zuria?" He questioned, his eyebrows furrowing.

"No, no; everything is perfect." She assured him, inhaling deeply before brushing her lips against his ears.

"Then what has persuaded you to bring a pause to our interaction?" He asked quietly.

"I just needed to tell you something."

She could feel his heartbeat quicken against her chest.

"I welcome whatever it is that you desire to inform me of."

"Spock, I love you." She whispered. Spock drew back, his eyes meeting hers. He lifted a hand, placing it under her chin.

"I return your sentiments, Zuria; I am in love with you as well." He said, drawing her lips to his and kissing her briefly. "As I am Vulcan, I can assure you that it is next to impossible for me to ever discontinue loving you."

"I'm certainly no Vulcan," She began, giving a chuckle and pressing her lips quickly against his neck. "But I can make the same promise."

Pulling the sheets back, Spock slipped beneath them with her. Their remaining clothing was quickly shed, joining the pile on the floor. He pulled her into a passionate, desire-filled kiss before breathing:

"Excellent."

* * *

**_Hey guys!_**

**_Ok, I'm incredibly sorry. I know that it's been two weeks since I last updated, and for that I apologize. My computer is back to doing stupid stuff, so my current situation in terms of writing and uploading is rather unorthodox. There's also been a bit of stupid drama going on with my friends, so that's made it a bit harder for me to find time to write. Hopefully it'll all be over soon, though._**

**_I'm hoping to have the next chapter up this weekend. I don't want you guys to have to wait as long as you did for this one. I really appreciate your patience; hopefully this chapter made up for the wait._**

**_Thanks,_**

**_Harley_**


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

* * *

It had been two weeks since Star Fleet had first started monitoring the Klingon's and their conflict with Chandra V. The situation had seemed to, surprisingly, escalate quite slowly; Klingon's were not known for their patience. It was only very recently that Star Fleet had decided to act.

Spock was currently in his office, gathering several things for the mission. Unfortunately, he had assigned essays to several of his classes prior to discovering that there was indeed a conflict in need of resolution. His classes hadn't complained about the essays, though; Spock had been in far too good a mood of late to assign excessive amounts of work to his students. He attributed his generally pleasant demeanor to Zuria. He was sure that, had his many students known that _she _was the reason for their good fortune, they would most likely have thanked her multiple times on many occasions.

The only problem now was that _he_ had been left with the work of correcting them. Fortunately, however, as Zuria had been stationed for duty aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, the task would not need to be done alone when he had the free time to accomplish it.

At the moment, though, Spock was feeling less well than he had been. Nausea currently caused him to work a little less efficiently. He formed a fist with his hand, pressing it lightly against his mouth, almost as though he could banish the feeling that way.

The sound of his office door opening caused Spock to look up. He knew that it was Zuria; he had programmed the DNA scanner to accept the print of her hand as well.

"Good morning, Zuria." He welcomed. Surprisingly, as he took several steps towards her and pulled her into an embrace, his nausea nearly vanished.

"Good morning, Spock." She replied, pressing a kiss against his lips, one which he readily returned.

Zuria pulled away first. "How are you feeling, Spock?" She questioned, examining him.

"I do not feel greatly unwell." He responded. "What is it that prompted you to inquire such a thing?"

"Well," She began, lifting a hand to stroke the tip of his ear. "You look a bit green. Are you sick?"

"No," He assured her, taking her hand in his. "I will admit to having felt a small amount of nausea several moments ago, but I remain largely unaffected by it."

"Are you sure? I can take your temperature, if you'd like." She offered. A small grin tugged at the corner of his lips; he tended to forget that she was a xenobiology major, and thus, she was eager to tend to those with any ailments.

"No, I am sure that I will be just fine within several minutes." He told her. She nodded in acceptance.

"Okay. As long as you don't lose your breakfast on board the Enterprise." She said with a chuckle.

"I will not." He promised, placing a kiss on her forehead. She gave a small smile, one that lasted very briefly.

"What are we going to do when we're on the Enterprise?" She inquired. "Is there anything different that we should do to hide… us?"

Spock gave thought to her question for several moments before speaking. "Presently, no one suspects us, which means that we must be doing an excellent job." He began. His mind flashed back to their classes; Zuria had seemed to enjoy teasing him lately by crossing her legs, causing her skirt to lose several inches in the process. His eyes only lingered on her for a second more than they did on his other students, but he enjoyed her actions nonetheless; they reminded him that she loved him- _only_ him.

"I happen to agree with that; we _have_ been doing an excellent job." She agreed, resting her head on his shoulder and speaking into his neck. "Commanders have their own private sleeping quarters, do they not?" She asked. In that moment, an intense wave of lust crashed over him; so intense as to be painful. It was not merely _desire_ that he felt; it was a deep, biological need to engage in intercourse with her. Spock pulled away as subtly as he could, a short burst of pain having shot through his gut.

"Yes." He replied shortly. _Why? Why did this have to happen now?_

"Good." Zuria grinned. She pressed her lips against his, giving him a kiss that nearly caused him to tear her clothes off and take her in his office; something that, under normal circumstances, he would never have had the intense urge to do.

"See you on the Enterprise, Spock." She said, moving to the door.

"Yes, I will see you then." He returned, sitting down in his desk chair and covering his eyes with his hand. He could not believe that he had been so neglectful of his bodily needs. Had it really been seven years already? The last time that he'd had the blood fever, he'd rid himself of it with many hours of intense meditation; of course, he'd had no mate at the time, so meditation was his only option. This time, though he _did_ have Zuria, he did not want to subject her to the consequences that came from assisting him in banishing the fever, should she be at all opposed to them.

As Spock saw it, the pon farr gave him three options: meditate, engage in intercourse with Zuria despite the pon farr's requirements, or die.

* * *

**_Oh. My. God. I am SO sorry. I had no intention for this to take such a long time to get up. I had such a busy few weeks that, by the time I would be able to write, I was so entirely burned out that I couldn't do anything without it being crap. I also apologize for the length of this chapter; it really was a necessary transitional chapter, though. Hopefully you guys can forgive me; I'm really looking forward to writing the next chapter. It should prove to be very entertaining. There's only six chapters left, though, so I'll try to get most of them written before I go to off to college._**

**_Again, I apologize. Thank you for being patient, though. As always, reviews are welcome and provide fuel for me to continue writing._**

**_Thanks,_**

**_Harley_**


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter Fifteen**_

* * *

Serving on board the U.S.S. Enterprise had been, thus far, an interesting experience for Zuria. It had been several days since Star Fleet had sent out several of its ships to aid in resolving the conflict between the Klingons and Chandra V. Nothing particularly thrilling had happened; it had been, for the most part, incredibly quiet. The only people that had visited the sickbay were afflicted with minor wounds or illnesses common to their species. Nonetheless, it was a chance for Zuria to practice her abilities as a xenobiological medical intern.

Presently, Zuria was monitoring an Orion that had lately succumbed to their version of influenza. She flipped through his charts, picking up a pen and updating them. Bones sat several feet away, watching her complete the task.

"Don't you have _anything_ better to do?" She questioned teasingly, setting the charts down and turning to him.

"Nope." He answered bluntly. "You dealing with the sick Orion guy is the most exciting thing I've seen all day."

"You could've treated him yourself, if you had wanted to." She pointed out, taking a seat next to him. If she was being honest, however, she had to agree with him. It had been three days since she had seen Spock, a fact for which she wasn't at all grateful. He had been so busy on the main deck, working with Jim Kirk and the others to produce a plan that would prevent the Klingons from taking any action, as they were no doubt formulating some scheme of their own.

"And deprive my favorite intern of her chance to practice? Like hell I would do that." He said, and Zuria couldn't decide whether he was teasing or not.

"May I remind you that I'm your _only_ intern?" Zuria retorted, offering a smile.

"Well, y'know why I can't have any other interns?" He asked. "It's because they'd all get pissed off at me for playing favorites."

Zuria gave a laugh, slapping Bones playfully on the arm. "You're pathetic."

"Yeah, well; it's all a matter of opinion." He told her. Several doctors and at least a dozen nurses moved aimlessly about the sickbay, each of them searching for something to do. Bones and Zuria remained silent for several moments, watching them.

"Just seeing these people doing nothing makes me almost wish that those Klingons would fire some damn missiles at us or something." Bones grumbled. Zuria opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by a loud rumbling sound. Her heart sank down into her stomach, and she stood from her seat.

"I think you just got your wish, Bones." She said. The first sound was followed shortly by a second one, this one able to be felt. The unfamiliar voice of a man spoke through the intercom system.

"This is Cadet Gerard Dexius speaking. We are now under attack by several Klingon war-birds. Sickbay, please prepare to receive all injured persons." He alerted everyone. Zuria found herself frustrated by the message; it told nothing of what had been happening over the past few days, nor did it reveal much of what should be expected at that present moment, either. A scream of agony interrupted her thoughts, causing her to turn to the sickbay door. The first of many injured Star Fleet members to come had collapsed on the floor, unconscious. Zuria ran to him, kneeling and searching out his faint pulse. Bones was next to her seconds later, assisting her in lifting him and moving him to a gurney. A chunk of metal protruded from his abdomen.

"_Jesus._" Bones breathed as he glanced to the door. Wounded ensigns and cadets stumbled into the sickbay, doctors and nurses rushing to meet them. "Will you be okay handling this on your own?" He asked Zuria. She nodded.

"Go. Go help." She permitted with a wave of her hand. She found herself very thankful at the moment that everything in the sickbay was sterilized. Taking her medical PADD, she used its x-ray function to see how deep the metal was stuck into the cadet's body. She almost breathed a sigh of relief to see that it hadn't ruptured any of his vital organs. She quickly turned away, placing her hands in front of the sterilizer, allowing it to clean her hands with a puff of air before grabbing a pair of gloves and slipping one onto each hand before returning to her patient. Biting her lip, she carefully pulled the metal from his skin. Small amounts of blood seeped from the wound, though after she applied generous amounts of pressure to the spot, the bleeding gradually stopped. When it did, she was quick to cleanse the abrasion and stitch it up.

The next half hour passed much the same way. Zuria moved from patient to patient, assisting other doctors with their endeavors as well. She eventually came to Bones, aiding him in suturing the chest of an ensign.

"God _dammit_." He hissed out of frustration as the Enterprise shook again. It was, obviously, quite difficult to successfully sew a person back together when faced with constant turbulence. The ship's movement caused Bones to bump into the scalpel that he had carelessly left pointing towards him. It stabbed through his shirt, piercing through his skin.

"Son of a _bitch!_" He yelled, pulling away from the patient. His voice cut through the relative quiet of the sickbay. Zuria's eyes traveled to the medical instrument that now protruded from Bones' stomach. Squeezing his eyes shut briefly, he returned to his work. Zuria assisted him without speaking, knowing that he would be insistent on completing his task.

Several minutes later, Cadet Dexius' voice alerted the crew of the Enterprise that the Klingons had discontinued their assault on the Star Fleet ships. Bones' PADD signaled that he had received a written transmission only several moments later.

"What's going on, Bones?" Zuria questioned. Bones currently sat on a gurney, holding gauze to the gash in his side.

"I'm needed on the main deck immediately, but I obviously can't go now." He informed her, inhaling with a hiss.

"Let me help you stitch yourself." She said, reaching for the thread.

"No, I'm stitching myself up." He told her. "I need you to go to the main deck on my behalf and report back to me."

Zuria raised an eyebrow, glancing from Bones to the thread. "Are you sure that's what you want me to do?" She inquired.

"Yes, it is. Just go, and I'll be fine by the time you get back." He promised, gesturing towards the door with his head.

Inhaling, she nodded, giving Bones a gentle hug before exiting the sickbay and making her way towards the main deck.

* * *

Spock had been wrong to report for duty that day. He had been neglectful of his need to meditate, having only performed the action several times within the past few days. His head felt as though it was on fire and his body ached, calling out for an end to the pain. The battle with the Klingons had taken more of his energy than he thought it would. Spock currently leaned against the wall in pseudo-meditation, gathering himself prior to discussing the next course of action with those on the main deck.

"Hey, Spock," Jim called. Spock opened his eyes. "Did Bones say when he was getting here?"

"No, Jim. Doctor McCoy made no response to the transmission that I sent to him." Spock informed the captain. He was about to shut his eyes again, but they were instead drawn to the doors as they slid open.

Zuria had entered. Spock felt a flash of lustful heat course through his body, something that took all of his Vulcan control to ignore.

"Zuria?" Jim posed her name as a question. "Where's Bones?"

"I'm here on his behalf. He's stitching himself up as we speak."

"Ah." Jim said with a nod. He could clearly sympathize with Bones. "Ok, well then," He began, clapping his hands together. Several lieutenants and cadets left their stations and made their way to where Jim stood. Spock inhaled before joining them.

"Who's she?" The outspoken Cadet Dexius asked, nodding his head in Zuria's direction. Spock's eyes traveled to her, meeting her gaze briefly.

"She's Doctor McCoy's intern, Zuria Nibiru." Jim answered shortly. "Anyways, let's talk about what we're going to do with these Klingon bastards."

Jim looked to Spock, expecting him to speak. Spock, however, was glaring at Cadet Dexius, who was studying Zuria with an interest that made Spock nauseous from irrational jealousy.

"Cadet Dexius, I must ask that you refrain from gazing at Cadet Nibiru in such a manner. It is entirely inappropriate." He chided, his eyes narrowed to slits. Zuria glanced at him with a questioning look.

"I have every right to look at an attractive woman, sir." Dexius replied, crossing his arms defiantly, grinning at Zuria.

"Do not test me, cadet." Spock warned in a low, venomous voice. "I have no patience for your childishness." Spock hated his illogical behavior; Zuria hadn't even spoken a kind word to the cadet. But, as his current logic stated, _nobody_ should have been looking at her, nobody but _him_. Anyone who did risked the chance of incurring his wrath.

"Spock, man, are you okay?" Jim inquired, raising an eyebrow. Spock's entire body felt as though it were burning up in flames of lust, pain, and anger. Why did Zuria have to be there at that moment? Her presence made it all so much more difficult; his self control was the weakest that it had ever been, and it took all of his strength and logic to hold himself back from dragging her off of the main deck in order to mate with her. He inhaled sharply, pressing a hand against his forehead.

"Forgive me, Jim, but I am feeling unwell." He replied, glancing momentarily at Zuria. He saw confusion and worry on her face, both pleading for him to tell her what was happening to him. He chose to ignore them. "I believe that I should retire to my quarters at this time."

"Yeah, you do that. I'll send you a transmission if I need to." Jim said, permitting him to leave with a wave of his hand.

Spock retreated to his room immediately, wasting no time in beginning his meditation. He had been negligent to his body, and knew that imperative that he do _something_ to correct the damage he had done from disregarding the blood fever.

Spock only hoped that meditation would be enough to appease the licking and hissing flames of the pon farr.

* * *

**_Hey guys! Surprised to see an update this soon? Well, don't be. I've been devoting all free time that I currently have to my writings, and at the moment, this story takes precedence over all of my others. I should hopefully have all of the chapters written by the end of this month. Aw. Now I'm a bit sad; this story has been probably the most fun thing that I've ever written, seeing as I'm way more enthusiastic about it than I've been about other fan fiction I've written in the past. I'm going to miss writing it!_**

**_I've been getting tons of messages from you guys wanting to know what I'll be working on next. Will I write a sequel to this story? I'm thinking about it; if I do, however, it will most likely be relatively short. Aside from that, though, I think I'll take some time to explore the Heroes universe; I'm planning on writing several Sylaire one-shots (most likely song-fics) before diving into a full length Sylar/OC story. I know, I know; the OCs. They're everywhere for me. I just like them because I feel as though they let me explore canon characters better._**

**_Well... there you have it: a new chapter, my plans for future writing, and an explanation. Hopefully that'll tide you over until the next chapter is up; I'm sure you'll all enjoy it very much._**

**_Anyways, thanks for the read! Reviews, as always, are motivation to write more. I would love to hear your thoughts._**

**_Thanks,_**

**_Harley_**


	16. Chapter 16

_**Chapter Sixteen**_

* * *

The meeting on the main deck had hardly lasted more than ten minutes. Tentative decisions had been made, although little had been discussed; Jim Kirk was more than capable of working out a plan sans assistance from others, but he generally felt that the input of others counted for something.

When Zuria returned to the sickbay, she found Bones sitting in his chair once more, this time reading. He had clearly had little trouble with his stitches, as was expected.

"Wow." Zuria commented, pointing to the book. "Othello. What prompted you to read that?"

"Oh, nothing. It was the only thing I could find around here." He replied, closing the book and setting it down. "What happened at the meeting?"

Zuria shook her head. "Nothing. Commander Spock said that he was sick, so Jim basically decided to come up with something on his own." She informed him. Bones rolled his eyes.

"I have no idea what goes on inside the head of the Vulcan bastard." He said. Zuria hit him playfully in the arm.

"He's not a bastard, Bones." She told him.

"Oh, right. You're his aide. I forgot that. Must make it a bit easier to understand him, huh?" He inquired, standing from his seat and moving to the sickbay's mini-fridge, pulling an apple out of it.

"Mostly, yes; but I have no idea why he lashed out at Cadet Dexius." She admitted, her words slightly truthful. She knew that Spock had been angry at the cadet for looking at her with the longing that he had, but she was surprised that he had reacted in such a manner. Under normal circumstances, she was sure that Spock would have found Cadet Dexius' interest in her amusing, as there was no way that it would ever be reciprocated. Zuria was sure that there was a perfectly logical reason that Spock had behaved so illogically; otherwise he would not have done it.

Bones raised an eyebrow at her words.

"Are you being serious right now?" He questioned. "I've only seen Spock get mad once in his life, and he had a damn good reason for it then."

"I'm being entirely serious. He just…" She trailed off, watching Bones as he bit into his apple. She gave a sigh. "I don't know. What do you think?"

"Like hell if I know." Bones answered, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. His eyes moved across the row of patients in front of them. "It's getting late." He commented.

"Am I on call tonight?" She asked, stretching her arms out.

"No. I think we'll be ok without you for tonight, Zuria. Go get some rest; you'll look like hell in a few hours if you don't." He teased, dismissing her. She gave a laugh.

"Thanks, Bones. See you in the morning." She said, gathering her things.

"See you then." Bones returned, moving in the opposite direction. She passed quickly through the halls of the Enterprise, stopping when she reached her sleeping quarters. She placed her hand on the scanner, allowing the door to open. The room had little in it but two bunk beds and a closet. She shared the room with three other women, including Pallania. None of them were there at the moment, thankfully.

Zuria collapsed on her bed, not caring that her boots were still on. What was it that could possibly have made Spock behave the way that he had? The flaring temper, the irrational jealousy, the hint of green in his skin…

Standing from her bed, Zuria dug through her bag, pulling out her brush and running it through her hair several times before setting it down and exiting the room.

* * *

Spock had been sitting in meditation for several hours now, and none of it had assisted him any way in ridding himself of the pon farr. His mind saw fit to continually bring images of Zuria up behind his closed eyes. A wave of lust and heat would rush through his body each time a new image appeared, and Spock feared that he was too far gone for meditation to work.

A knock on the door put an end to his fantasies, causing him to open his eyes.

"Computer, grant access." He commanded, having no desire to move from his spot at the time. The door slid open, revealing a particularly attractive medical intern. "Zuria." Spock spoke her name carefully, attempting not to show his struggle.

"Spock," She returned, stepping forward. "What happened today? What's wrong?"

Inhaling, Spock stood, straightening his uniform. "I am merely feeling unwell." He responded.

"We both know that's a lie." She said, walking forward. "You lashed out at a cadet for _looking_ at me; something that you wouldn't usually do."

Spock made no response, simply moving to his bed and sitting down, steepling his fingers. Zuria knelt before him, taking his sweaty hands in hers.

"You're burning up." She gasped. "And you look green."

"It is nothing, Zuria. I will be fine." He lied, pressing a kiss against her forehead. She stilled in that instant, frozen into a figure of both lust and concern in his eyes.

"_God,_" She breathed, her eyes meeting his. "This is pon farr, isn't it?" She inquired.

Spock sighed, nodding slowly. "Yes, it is." He admitted.

"Why didn't you _tell_ me?" She questioned.

"Because the woman that a Vulcan man mates with when undergoing pon farr must become his bonded mate within six months of ending the fever." He explained. They both remained quiet for several moments.

Zuria, at last, stood from her place on the floor. She took several steps forward before taking her place next to him on his bed. Spock was about to question, but her mouth pressed against his, and he was unable to say anything. His tongue eagerly slipped past her lips, meeting hers. This kiss was not slow and sensual as most of their kisses were; it was heated and fierce, driven by Spock's biological need to have Zuria. His arms were around her seconds later, pressing her body against his as he lowered her to the bed beneath him. He pulled away from the kiss, his lips moving to her neck. She shuddered in response, arching against him. He could feel her move beneath him as she kicked her boots off, allowing them to fall to the floor.

Drawing his lips away from her, his hands tugged at the bottom of her uniform, pulling it over her head with her assistance. She then aided him in removing his uniform as well, lifting his shirt off of him while he worked to remove his pants. Their clothes formed a pile on the floor, forgotten almost instantly as Spock pressed a kiss to the curve of Zuria's breast, his fingers trailing along the apex of her thigh.

"Spock," She breathed, her hands on either side of his face.

"What is it, Zuria?" He asked, ceasing his actions momentarily.

"_This is my decision_." She whispered into his ear. Spock almost died from relief and happiness. If he did this now, the pon farr would end, and within six months, he would be eternally bonded to Zuria.

"Are you sure that this is what you want?" He questioned, his mouth hovering above hers.

"_Yes_." Was her response. Spock's lips crashed down on hers, his heart pounding hard against his chest. _I love you, I love you._

"I love you, Spock."

"I love you too, Zuria." He responded.

Their remaining clothes joined those already on the floor, leaving them exposed to each other once again. When their bodies finally connected, Spock felt the pain, the fever of the pon farr melting away. As they moved together, Spock knew that he had not found just a perfect mate in Zuria.

He had found a savior.

* * *

**_Hey guys!_**

**_Yay for a quick update! I felt the need to crank out another chapter, and so I did. I hope that it was a satisfactory one. _**

**_Only four more chapters left after this. It's a bit sad, really. I'm beginning to get very attatched to these two. Oh well. As I mentioned last chapter, I've already got my next writing assignments planned out, so I won't be sad for long._**

**_The next chapter should be up within the next few days. Reviews and messages are, as always, welcomed and appreciated._**

**_Thanks,_**

**_Harley_**


	17. Chapter 17

_**Chapter Seventeen**_

* * *

When Zuria's eyes opened, it was to the relative darkness of Spock's sleeping quarters; fortunately for her, it had been decorated in the traditional Vulcan style, which she considered to be a much better sight upon waking up than that of the bunks in her shared room. Shifting slightly, she made an effort to stretch her muscles, as they had grown sore from the previous night's activities.

Turning her head to look behind her, Zuria's eyes fell on a still-sleeping Spock, his hands resting on her shoulder and the pillow on which she laid her head. She could feel his chest on her back as it moved with every deep breath he took. Zuria couldn't help but smile; it was the first time that she had ever seen Spock asleep, as he had always woken before her the previous times that they had made love. She twisted her head back, looking out into the room. It was a strange and exciting thing to know that her future had been changed by helping to cure Spock of the pon farr.

Within the next six months, Zuria would be bonded to Spock in the traditional Vulcan sense. At first she had questioned what if meant to be bonded to a Vulcan, but she knew that the bond was eternal, which suited her perfectly. A year ago, she would never have thought that she would be in any sort of relationship with a Vulcan, especially not Star Fleet's celebrated Commander Spock. But she had fallen in love with _him_ in a way she never had before; if that wasn't hint enough that she was supposed to be with him forever, then she didn't know what was.

Yawning carefully, Zuria carefully pulled her body away from Spock's. It would most likely be best for her to return to the room that she shared with the other cadets before anyone else on the ship woke up; Spock's sleeping quarters were located very close to the main deck, making it very likely to run into someone while leaving the room. Having no desire to allow that to happen, Zuria stood from the bed, picking up her underclothes and putting them on before slipping her uniform on over her head. She then stepped into her boots, pulling her hair back into a ponytail afterwards.

Glancing about in the darkness, her eyes landed on Spock's PADD. She reached for it, opening a new document and writing a note to him before placing the device on her pillow. She bent down, placing a hand gently on his head. His skin was still flushed green, but the fever, while it was still present, had become much less virulent. She pressed her lips softly to his before making her way to the door and exiting the room.

The hallway was, thankfully, empty. Zuria exhaled in relief, remaining still until the door to Spock's quarters slid shut. She took several steps away, beginning to walk past the main deck in the direction of her room.

"Zuria?" A voice called out, posing her name as a question. That voice could only belong to one person. She silently cursed herself before turning around to meet the gaze of the person that had spoken.

"Good morning, Captain." She greeted. Her words were met with a smirk from the man in front of her.

"I thought I told you to call me Jim."

"You did."

"So why aren't you?"

"Sorry, Jim. It's… pretty early. I must not be thinking straight." She apologized. Jim Kirk was the _last_ person that she had wanted to run into at that moment.

"You're right. It _is_ pretty early." He agreed, folding his arms over his chest, leaning against the wall. "Which is why I have to wonder; what are you doing walking around?"

"I was on call." She lied easily. Jim gave a small chuckle.

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Well, Zuria," He started, taking several steps forward. "I'm kind of wondering how you could've been on call when Bones specifically told me that you_ weren't_."

"I…" She began, trailing off. She could feel her heart racing, urging her to say something, anything that would prevent discovery. "Was just clearing my head."

"Oh. Is that what you were doing in Spock's room at this time of night? Just _clearing your head_?"

Her eyes widened. How could she have been so careless? "What are you talking-"

"It's ok, Zuria." He told her, sounding slightly annoyed. "I already figured it out."

She made no reply, instead biting down on her lip.

"I've seen the way he looks at you; like you're the most wonderful thing in the universe. And then when he got pissed at that idiot, Dexius? That pretty much gave it away right there." He explained. "He's going through pon farr, isn't he?"

Zuria hesitated before answering. All this time, she and Spock had been incredibly careful so as not to be discovered, and now it seemed that all of their effort had been wasted.

"Will you just _answer_ me?" Jim entreated, his irritation obviously growing.

"Yes." She said at last. "Yes, Spock is going through pon farr."

"And that's why you were in his room, right? Helping him clear _his_ head." He observed, innuendo clear in his voice. Zuria flushed lightly, her eyes narrowing. She hadn't even talked to Pallania about her sex life, and here Jim was, forcing the information out of her and making childish jokes about it. She wanted nothing more than to hit him hard across the face. Had he not been the captain of the ship, she most likely would have. Instead, she answered bluntly.

"Yes."

"Well, that's good, then. I can't have my first officer dying on me." He commented. "I just didn't know that he had it in him."

"Trust me, Spock knows exactly what he's doing." She told him in a cold voice. As long as Jim knew, she may as well bite back at him. "It must be a Vulcan thing. I don't think you'd understand."

"Ouch." Jim laughed, a grin appearing on his face. "You just insulted me _and_ the vast majority of Earth's male population. From how I see it, that's pretty offensive."

"If I didn't mean it, I wouldn't have said it." She returned.

"Ok. Well, got any details you want to share? I haven't had sex in _weeks_." He confessed his grin widening.

"No, I don't." She replied, rolling her eyes to the ceiling.

"C'mon, I'm curious to know what the guy's secrets are; they really seem to be working on you." He said, prodding her for information.

"I'm not having this conversation with you, Jim."

"Is it because I just discovered the huge, rule-breaking secret that you two have been hiding for God knows how long?" He inquired.

"Partially, yes." She told him.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to tell anyone about your against regulation romance with your professor." He assured her.

"If you do, I swear to God-"

"Calm down, Zuria. I won't say anything."

"Thank you." She said, turning away.

"I'll see you later then." He called after her.

"Fine, later." She agreed, twisting back momentarily to wave. She then began walking towards her room, entering it as quietly as she could. The other girls were still sleeping. Pallania's hand dangled down from the top bed of the bunk that she shared with Zuria. Slipping past her friend's hand, she laid down on her bed, exhaling loudly. She would have to explain this to Spock eventually, if Jim didn't confront him about it first.

Whatever happened, Zuria felt as though she was prepared to deal with it. She was going to be with Spock forever; it had become a biological imperative, one that she had no desire to go against.

* * *

**_Hey guys!_**

**_Another chapter for you. The next few are in the process of being written, and are coming along quite swimmingly, I must say. _**

**_And so, the lovers were finally discovered (and I am also reminded briefly of Moulin Rouge, for some reason). It had to happen it some point, I suppose. And who better to discover them than our favorite sex-crazed captain? Nobody, as far as I'm concerned._**

**_Anyways, I'd love to hear from you. Reviews are absolutely lovely, and messages are welcome as well. _**

**_Hope you enjoyed this chapter!_**

**_Thanks,_**

**_Harley_**


	18. Chapter 18

_**Chapter Eighteen**_

* * *

When Spock at last awoke, he felt the obvious absence of heat that he was accustomed to feeling after spending the night with Zuria. This surprised him slightly, as she had never left him alone in bed before. However, upon glancing at her pillow, he saw that his PADD was on. He picked it up, reading it. Zuria had returned to her shared sleeping quarters so as not to raise suspicion when she left his room. Spock's lips curved slightly downward in a frown; she had done the logical thing. This was an instance where he wished that she had defied logic; he had been looking forward to the moments that they would have shared upon waking. What she had done, though, had been in both of their best interest.

Taking a moment to stretch his muscles, Spock stood from his bed, picking his uniform up from the floor and dressing himself in it, smoothing out the wrinkles in his shirt before picking up his PADD and exiting his room, making his way to the main deck.

The sight he was met with upon arriving made him wish that he was still in bed, even if not with his mate. The crew members sat at their stations, several of them consuming a beverage or food item. Others glanced at their PADDs, while others feigned attentiveness. Jim sat lazily in the captain's chair, his legs slung over an arm. In one hand he held a piece of paper that he seemed to be reading, and in the other he held a half-eaten candy bar.

"Spock," He greeted, not lifting his eyes from the paper.

"Good morning, Jim." Spock returned, approaching the captain's chair. "May I importune you for any news regarding our Klingon friends?"

"You may," Jim started, taking a bite from his candy bar. "But I won't have anything to tell you."

"There has been nothing done on either side in the hours that have passed?" Spock questioned.

"Nope. Nada." Jim answered. He shifted his gaze from the paper to Spock, changing the subject. "Did you ever know that your aide is really difficult to get along with when she's tired?"

Spock's eyebrows furrowed. He obviously couldn't find any basis for Jim's statement, as he'd gotten along very well with her regardless of the occasion, but he doubted that Jim had said that without a purpose.

"I mean, I usually think she's cool, but man. I thought that she was going to kill me." The captain continued. Spock's eyebrows unfurrowed, and he moved slowly back to the door.

"Forgive me, Jim, but I feel the need to venture to the mess hall in order to consume breakfast." He apologized, receiving a consenting wave from his friend. He exited the main deck, moving across the ship to the sickbay.

Zuria sat on a metal stool, her eyes scanning over the charts of a patient. Spock approached her carefully, not wanting any of the surrounding doctors or nurses to suspect anything.

"Good morning, Zuria." He greeted casually. Her gaze immediately shifted to him. She glanced him over, giving him a small, troubled looking smile.

"Morning, Spock." She replied. "Is there something that you need?" She inquired. He knew that she shared his desire to be physically close at that moment, but it was impossible for them to make any sort of contact that was not platonic.

"Yes. I would like to discuss the essays with you." He lied easily. She nodded, standing from her chair.

"Follow me, please." She said, moving to a secluded, empty area in the sickbay. Once he was sure that they were completely alone, he brought his mouth carefully to hers, holding her chin. She responded eagerly, her lips parting as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She was, however, despite her reaction, the first to pull away. "I don't want anyone else to see us here." She whispered, her lips brushing against his ear as she spoke. He nodded in return.

"I accept your reasoning. It is only logical for us to refrain from such physical contact at the present moment." He agreed, placing a soft kiss on her cheek before pulling away.

"Why did you really come here, Spock?" She asked, smoothing out her uniform. He looked to the ground once before replying.

"Jim Kirk said several things this morning that led me to believe that you are emotionally unwell. Is there any truth to his words?" He questioned, his heart nearly stopping. She wasn't having second thoughts about bonding with him, was she?

Zuria's eyes narrowed seconds later. "If he's referring to the fact that he accosted me this morning when I was leaving your room, then yes. He's absolutely right; I'm not particularly happy with _Jim_ at the moment." She answered. Spock sensed unease within her, allowing her to heave a frustrated sigh before speaking again.

"And what did Jim do when he accosted you? Did he make any manner of lewd remarks?" He inquired. He watched his mate as she bit her lip, clearly deciding what to say.

"Spock," She began. "Jim knows."

Spock felt his heart sink. "What?"

"When he confronted me, he talked to me about… us. He said that he'd figured it out already." She explained. He swallowed hard.

"Was it my behavior yesterday that alerted him of our love?" He asked. Zuria nodded.

"Partially; though he said that he'd suspected for a while." She clarified.

"And was he vulgar to you when he spoke?"

"Unsurprisingly, yes."

Spock could feel the heat of anger flare within his abdomen. Jim should've spoken to _him_ instead of accosting Zuria.

"I apologize for my friend's behavior, Zuria." He said, taking her hands in his, placing a kiss on her left hand."

"It's fine," She started. "As long as he doesn't tell anybody."

"It is most certainly not fine; his actions were entirely inappropriate. I believe that I should speak with him on the matter." He told her, effectively pardoning himself.

"I certainly won't stop you, if you feel the need to." She informed him. Her hands pressed against his cheeks as she brought her mouth to his, kissing him slowly. His arms snaked around her waist, pulling her flush against him. She removed a hand from his face, placing it over his, tempting it to move lower on her back. Pulling away from the kiss, she grinned.

"We can continue this later." She promised, licking her lips.

"I will send you a transmission when I have finished speaking with him." He assured her, brushing a strand of hair out of her face before leaving the sickbay.

* * *

Spock rarely felt even the slightest bit of anger; only something significant could upset him. As far as he was concerned, Jim had provided significant enough a reason for him to be angered.

"Spock," Jim greeted as the Vulcan entered the main deck. "Glad that you're back."

"Could we converse privately, Jim?" He asked, ignoring his friend's greeting. "There is something that I wish to discuss with you."

"Sure thing." He agreed, following Spock to a largely unoccupied area on the main deck. He folded his arms over his chest. "So… what exactly is it that we're talking about?"

"I would first like to inform you that I am greatly displeased with your childish mannerisms; angered, even." He began, tempting Jim to raise an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?" He questioned.

"Zuria informed me of your encounter earlier this morning." Spock told him.

"Oh, that." Jim acknowledged, chuckling.

"I have been made aware that you know of our relationship. I am not angered by this, but I _am_ unhappy that you accosted Zuria in order to speak with her about the subject, one which you _should have_ discussed with me, had you the desire to gain any information." He said, his voice low.

"Calm down, Spock." Jim told him, patting him on the shoulder. "I was just teasing her a little. Normally she can handle it."

"I do not need to tell you that she was quite far from amused when I spoke with her, and believe you would be wise to believe me when I say that there is _nothing_ that I dislike more than for my mate to be displeased." Spock informed him honestly.

Jim was quiet for several moments.

"Wow." He started, mussing his hair with his hand. "You really love her, don't you?"

"Yes, I do." Spock answered. "More so than I knew was possible."

"If she… _mated_ with you to stop the pon farr, does that mean that you guys are basically engaged?" Jim questioned.

"It does." He replied simply, watching as a grin took over the captain's lips.

"So, when's the wedding? I'm guessing that I'll end up being the best man, right?" Jim inquired, his grin growing.

"I will answer no more of your questions at this time, Jim." Spock said.

His words, however, were startlingly met with the sound of an explosion. The entire ship shuddered in protest of it as Spock and Jim moved quickly back to the captain's chair.

"Captain, should we fire back?" A cadet called out. Jim was about to answer when he was met with the sight of a missile hitting the Klingon ship. Two other Star Fleet ships had joined the Enterprise, outnumbering the Klingons.

"No," Spock began, speaking primarily to Jim. "I suggest that we hail our war-loving and take this opportunity to propose to them the option of negotiating."

"What he said. Do it." Jim ordered the cadets, who were quick to act on his words. Within several moments, the visage of the Klingon leader could be seen by all on the main deck.

"Good morning." Jim greeted. "I'm Captain James T. Kirk of the U.S.S. Enterprise. As you can see, you've been outnumbered by Star Fleet ships. As it stands now, you have two options: agree to set up a time for negotiations on Chandra V, or get blown to smithereens. I personally would find the first option a little more pleasant, but it's your choice."

The Klingon grumbled something unintelligible before nodding his head. "I accept your proposition to negotiate."

"Good. We'll contact the leaders of Chandra V and set up a time for later today." Jim said. His words were met by a guttural agreement from the Klingon before he disappeared, leaving a clear view of the other ships again.

"Lieutenant Uhura," Jim started, turning to the linguist. "Establish contact with Chandra V."

"Yes, sir." She accepted, setting about her task. Jim then turned to his friend.

"Spock, send a transmission to Bones. I want him at the peace conference." He instructed. Spock nodded, taking his PADD and moving to the same area of the main deck where he had spoken to Jim. He sent his transmission request, waiting until Doctor McCoy's face appeared on the screen.

"Greetings, doctor." Spock began. The man that he saw looked tired and a good deal troubled.

"Yeah, hi." Bones returned, breathing heavily.

"Jim would like me to inform you that he requests your presence on the main deck. He would like you to attend the peace conference that will be held shortly." Spock told him.

"I don't think I'm going to be able to do that." Bones said, shaking his head.

"And what would be your reason for such a course of action?" He inquired.

"The missile. It hit us." Bones informed him.

"Doctor McCoy, I am sure that there are plenty of other doctors that are capable of-"

"My intern, your aide: Zuria. She got hurt in the explosion."

Spock blinked once at hearing this. His heart began to palpitate more rapidly, and he swallowed hard.

"Hey, Spock." Jim called, drawing his attention away from the PADD. "What's going on? We should be leaving soon for the conference."

"Doctor McCoy has just informed me that Zuria is unwell." Spock said. Jim inhaled before nodding.

"Spock," He started, speaking quietly so as not to let Bones hear him. "I'll let you stay on the ship and captain it while I'm gone, but I need Bones."

Spock said nothing to this, simply inclining his head in a manner of acceptance, even thanks.

"Tell him that Uhura will be there."

"Jim would like me to tell you as well that Zuria will be well cared for, and that Lieutenant Uhura will be present at the conference." Spock informed him, tempting Bones to roll his eyes.

"That _bastard_." He hissed, referencing Jim.

"If you would like, I will personally attend to Zuria. I have a significant amount of medical knowledge to permit my watching over her." Spock added in his own interest. Finally, Bones gave a sigh, nodding.

"Alright, I'll go." He agreed. "I'll be there in five minutes."

Bones held true to his word. Within five minutes, he appeared on the main deck, drawing a smile from Lieutenant Uhura, Spock observed.

"Ok, great. Are we ready to go?" Jim asked, glancing at the two. Both of them nodded. "Great. Let's get out of here."

Jim and Lieutenant Uhura turned and began to walk. Bones, however, took several steps in Spock's direction.

"If anything happens to her," He began, threat clear in his voice. "I swear to God I'll-"

"Doctor McCoy," Spock interrupted. "I will do everything within my ability to care for her. I want nothing less than to lose… my aide." He informed him, forcing himself not to speak the word "mate". Bones looked over him carefully before nodding once.

"Alright. Now get down to sickbay." He ordered, turning from the inwardly concerned Vulcan and joining the other two.

Inhaling deeply, Spock shook his head once before exiting the main deck. Whatever was happening at the moment, he could not help but feel that Zuria was infinitely more important.

* * *

**_Hey, guys!_**

**_Wow. Ok. Sorry. I didn't mean for this chapter to take so long to be up. I had to take a closer look at what I wanted to happen in this story before I finished it. At least it was a long chapter, though. Hopefully that makes up for it a little._**

**_Ah, another thing. I've been getting quite a few pm's regarding my plans for writing Sylaire fiction. Rather than individually answering each pm, I decided to put the information here. So, let me just say this: after completing this story, I'll be writing a collection of Sylaire songfics. Obviously, the mood will vary based on the song, but the one thing that's not changing is that each one of the one-shots will be rated M. As you could probably guess, that means that there will be some violence and plenty of sexual themes. Haha, I guess I just figured I could try writing something a little more... risque._**

**_So, that's about it. Two more chapters. I'm hoping I can get the next one up by the middle of this week._**

**_Thanks,_**

**_Harley_**


	19. Chapter 19

_**Chapter Nineteen**_

* * *

After what seemed to be years to her, Zuria's eyes fluttered open. She briefly recalled the explosion; how she had been hit with a good deal of debris. It must have knocked her unconscious.

Now, however, she was met with a surprising sight: Spock, sitting beside her on the gurney, his head resting upon his hand, his expression showing the smallest amount of concern.

"Spock," She spoke his name weakly, turning her body towards him. "What are you doing?"

"I am visiting you, Zuria." He replied, a frown playing on his lips. "Do you not wish me to be here?"

"Of course I want you to be here. It's just that…" She paused, glancing nervously about, despite the curtains. "There are people here." She told him, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"All medical personnel that are aware of my presence here believe that I am only so because I am tending to you." He informed her, placing a hand on her leg. Her eyebrows furrowed.

"Where's Bones?" She questioned.

"Doctor McCoy is attending a peace conference on Chandra V with Jim and Lieutenant Nyota Uhura." Spock answered, lifting a hand to stroke her cheek before placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Why aren't you with them?" Zuria asked, pressing her hand against his. He bowed his head for a moment before speaking.

"I was unable to do so." He began, moving closer to her. "Zuria, you are my mate, my love. You saved my life last night. As such, it was only logical for me to remain with you in your time of need. I would consider myself unworthy of being your mate if I had acted otherwise."

Zuria's gave a small smile, placing her hands on either side of his face, tempting him to draw closer before pressing her lips briefly to his.

"I love you, Spock." She whispered, her heart skipping a beat as he lowered his lips, pressing a kiss against her heart.

"And I you, Zuria." He returned, resting his head on her chest. They remained as such for several moments before Spock lifted his head, straightening his uniform.

"I assume that you are hungry, as you have been unconscious since early this morning. Would you require me to bring you food from the mess hall?" He asked, sincerely attentive to her needs.

Zuria sighed, but nodded. "Now that you're here, I'd rather that you didn't leave, but I _am_ hungry." She agreed, accepting his offer.

"Is there anything in particular that you desire to consume?" He questioned.

"No, there isn't. I'm sure that you'll be able to choose something for me, seeing as you know my taste better than anyone." She said with a tired grin.

"I cannot deny the truth in your words." He agreed, lowering his lips to hers briefly before standing from the gurney. "I shall return shortly." He promised.

"I'll be waiting." She said, squeezing his hand before allowing him to leave her side.

* * *

Spock moved through the halls of the Enterprise, holding himself in what he considered to be a relaxed manner. Now that he had been with Zuria and was certain that no further harm would come to her, he was perfectly at ease.

The next thing he heard, however, would disturb that ease, if only slightly.

"Spock!" The Vulcan heard his name, turning to face the source of the sound. Jim, Doctor McCoy, and Lieutenant Uhura all approached him, the latter two lightly brushing hands as they walked.

"Hello, Jim. Doctor. Lieutenant. Might I inquire as to the success of the peace conference?" He asked.

"It went well." Jim answered with a wave of his hand. "Boring, but at least those ugly bastards won't be bothering any federation planets for a while."

Spock sighed inwardly. Of course Jim had hoped for something of interest to happen; he lived for action, and always would. "I apologize that the events of the conference were less than scintillating." He said, clasping his hands behind his back. The captain nodded in response.

"How were things here?" He inquired.

"Greatly uneventful." Spock replied. "You most certainly did not miss any manner of excitement."

"Figures." Jim sighed. "Where are you going, Spock?"

"I am going to the mess hall." He answered.

"Ah, ok." Jim accepted this. "Bones, Uhura, back to the main deck." He ordered. Lieutenant Uhura complied, while the doctor stood his ground.

"I'll be right there, Jim." He told him, receiving a nod from the captain. Spock raised an eyebrow.

"Is there something that you wish of me, doctor?" He asked, standing his ground.

"I know what you're doing." McCoy said, his eyes narrowing. Spock's heartbeat sped up slightly.

"And what exactly is it that I am doing?"

"You and my intern. You've been screwing around with her. She ended the blood fever for you." He accused.

"I do not believe that you have used the proper term to describe Zuria and I." Spock retorted, confessing their relationship in doing so.

"You better watch it, Spock," Bones warned in a low voice. "Because if you do anything to upset Zuria, you'll have to answer to me."

Spock's lips curved upward slightly, almost amused at the sheer insanity of him hurting Zuria in any way. "Doctor, what makes you think that I will do something to upset _my mate_?" He questioned, emphasizing the last two words to show possession.

"She's like a sister to me. You don't feel the way she does. What may not hurt you could completely destroy her."

Spock's expression changed slowly to one resembling cold annoyance. "Do not underestimate my comprehension of your intern's emotions; I observe them very closely. Believe me when I say that would hate nothing more than to cause her harm." He hissed.

"Good. You deserve to be with her, then." Bones said, patting Spock on the back. His eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"Forgive me, Doctor, but I must ask: were you not threatening me only moments ago? Is this a sort of joke that humans are accustomed to?"

"It was a test. I needed to make sure that you were willing to fight for her."

Spock inclined his head. "I most certainly am willing to fight for her. I am willing to do anything for my mate." He informed him.

"Dammit, that sounds so weird." Bones cursed, shaking his head. "It's going to take me a while to register the fact that Zuria's your _mate_."

"In time, you will come to accept the fact." Spock assured him.

"When's the wedding?" McCoy grumbled, folding his arms over his chest.

"I have nothing to say about the matter." He replied stiffly. "I will let Zuria make the decision."

"Then it'll probably be tomorrow." The doctor said, allowing his eyebrows to move up and down as he thought of his intern.

"If she were to make such a choice, I would hardly be one to complain." Spock returned, allowing a small smile to touch the corners of his lips. McCoy nodded.

"Well, I'm going to go see Jim. You get back to Zuria." He instructed. Spock nodded, moving away from McCoy and progressing to the mess hall to retrieve food for his mate.

* * *

Zuria found herself reentering a state of complete lucidity when Spock at last returned to her makeshift room with a wide variety of fruit sorted neatly on a plate.

"I was beginning to think you were never coming back." She jibed, offering a grin and accepting the plate.

"I apologize for the length of my excursion; I was met by Jim, Lieutenant Uhura, and Doctor McCoy." He informed her, taking his place on the edge of her bed. Zuria glanced briefly down at the fruit before speaking.

"And what did they want?" She questioned carefully. Spock gave a sigh.

"Doctor McCoy is aware of our relationship, and I believe that he approves."

Zuria's eyes moved from Spock's, gazing instead at their touching hands.

"How many people know about us?" She asked.

"As far as I am aware, only Jim and Doctor McCoy know of our relationship." He answered, rubbing his thumb over her hand. She tilted her head to the side, considering his words.

"Well… that's good." She commented, her eyes meeting his. He shook his head, causing her brows to furrow.

"Surely you are aware that we cannot hide our love forever." Spock said, looking at her unblinkingly. He spoke to her softly: "We are mates."

Zuria swallowed hard at his words. "I'm not sure what to do. This has been the only concern about our relationship from the beginning."

Spock was silent for a moment, seeming to consider something. "You are correct, however…" He trailed off, glancing backwards, his eyes narrowing. Both of them were soon met with the appearance of Jim Kirk.

"Hey, guys. Hope I'm not interrupting anything." He said with a smirk. Zuria rolled her eyes.

"And what if you were?" She questioned snarkily.

"All the more reason for me to stay and watch." He responded. Zuria made a sound of disgust. Spock glared at his friend.

"Ok," Jim continued, waving his hand dismissively. "All joking aside, I wanted to apologize for my behavior. I know that it really hasn't made anything easier for you guys, being in the situation that you're in." He said, his tone attesting to the truthfulness of his words.

Zuria glanced to Spock. He nodded, assuring her that Jim meant his apology.

"Thanks, Jim." She told him.

"There's something else I want to talk to you about, though." Jim informed them. "And that's keeping this whole thing a secret. I think you guys should just go public."

"And what makes you say that?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"In a month, you won't even be Spock's student anymore." Jim replied. "You'll be a doctor, and then your relationship won't be against regulations."

"I was just about to make that comment, actually." Spock interjected. Jim nodded in agreement.

"If that's not enough, you know that I'm good at making things difficult for other people. If anyone has a problem with your relationship, I'll threaten to quit. Star Fleet doesn't want to lose its best captain." He told them. Zuria smiled briefly.

"Best captain?" She repeated in question. Jim spread his arms wide.

"Nothing but the truth, Zuria." He answered, grinning. Despite his moment of cockiness, Zuria knew that what Jim had said was at least partially logical. He was Star Fleet's youngest and most celebrated captain; obviously, they didn't want to lose him.

Heaving a sigh, she nodded. "Alright, Jim."

She glanced down at her and Spock's interconnected hands. _Mates_, she thought. _That's what we are. Star Fleet couldn't possibly get upset over that_.

"I'll have Sulu set course for Earth." Jim told them, taking a step back. "I think you guys deserve a bit of time without me here."

"I could not agree more." Spock said, his eyes shifting to Zuria. As Jim left them, he pressed his lips to hers, twining a hand in her hair. To be able to do this without fear of retribution by Star Fleet, Zuria had to admit, sounded incredibly agreeable to her.

* * *

**_Hey guys!_**

**_Ok, wow. Let me just say that I'm more sorry than you could imagine for not having updated in such a long time. I started college this year, and it's been kicking my ass. I also had a sort of family emergency that left me rather distracted for quite a while. I just managed to crank this chapter out in a couple of hours this morning before crashing and waking up just a little bit ago._**

**_Anyways, I appologize. I have only one chapter left to write after this: the epilogue. It will most likely be relatively short. I'm, as of now, unsure whether or not I want to do a sequel, so I'll have to take that into account. My next writing project is much more fitting with my schedule, as it stands; as I've said, I will be writing some Sylaire one shots. After that, I may continue some of my Dark Knight things, or perhaps I'll return to the Star Trek universe, or write more for Heroes. I'm not quite sure at this point._**

**_As always, I enjoy reviews. They give me a kick-start to get working._**

**_Thanks for your patience,_**

**_Harley_**


	20. Chapter 20: Epilogue

_**Chapter Twenty: Epilogue

* * *

**_

Spock stood outside of the office of Admiral Richard Bennet, the current head of Star Fleet. His hands were clasped behind his back, and his gaze was turned to the left. Zuria approached him, walking quickly so as not to be late.

"Hello, Zuria." He greeted, extending his hands to her. She took them, allowing him to pull her into an embrace.

"Hello, Spock." She returned, breathing deeply. "I'm a little nervous."

"You have no reason to be," He assured her, pulling back. "Jim has already made his case, and I have reasoning of my own to offer, should it be needed."

Zuria opened her mouth to speak, but was silenced by the sound of a voice coming through the speaker on the wall.

"You may now come into my office." The voice informed them, the door clicking open. The two of them stepped in and were greeted by the Admiral, who sat in his high-backed desk chair. "Hello, Commander Spock, Cadet Nibiru."

"Greetings, Admiral Bennet." Spock replied. Zuria managed her own greeting.

"Please, have a seat." Admiral Bennet invited, gesturing to the two chairs that sat before his desk. Both of them complied, Spock with more ease than Zuria.

"You both know why you're here right now." The admiral continued, glancing at each of them individually. "It is because you engaged in an against-regulations romance; a student having a sexual relationship with a teacher is strictly forbidden."

"Yes, we know that." Zuria responded, speaking with as much neutrality as she could.

"And who was it that instigated the relationship?" Admiral Bennet questioned, resting his chin on his hands.

"It was entirely mutual, Admiral." Spock told him. "We both equally desired a relationship."

The admiral seemed to consider this for a moment. "And were the both of you aware that engaging in a relationship could lead to your expulsion from the academy, Cadet Nibiru, and the loss of your job, Commander?"

"We were." Spock answered unblinkingly.

"And yet you pursued it anyways?"

"The decision was not made without contemplation, sir, but I find that I ultimately rebelled against logic in this instance in order to satisfy my human desire for affection."

Admiral Bennet paused for a moment. "James Kirk came in here to defend you both; he threatened to quit if either of you suffered any repercussions."

"I was aware that he intended to make such a case." Spock admitted.

"Obviously, Star Fleet has no desire to lose its most celebrated captain or its most distinguished professor, but I'll allow you to make your case as well: why should I let Cadet Nibiru stay?"

Zuria bit her lip, looking away from the admiral. Spock reached over to her, grasping her hand.

"Because Zuria and I are mated. If you expel her from the academy, I will be forced to leave as well; it is physically impossible for me to live without her." He explained in an even tone. Admiral Bennet sat silently, his gaze shifting between them.

"Cadet, you are interning with Leonard McCoy to become a doctor, correct?" He questioned.

"Yes, I am." She replied.

"And you will be earning your title in less than one month, correct?"

"Yes."

Admiral Bennet nodded once, pondering over her words. "And this affair will end in a legitimate marriage, am I right?" He further prodded. Spock felt a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips at the word "marriage."

"Absolutely. There is no other option." He informed the admiral, who looked briefly down at his desk.

"I will let both of you remain in Star Fleet." Admiral Bennet told them finally. Spock glanced over to Zuria, pleased to see a smile lighting her face.

"Thank you _so_ much, Admiral." She grinned.

"You're both very welcome. You are dismissed." He said waving them out. Both of them stood, stepping to the side of the door as it closed, separating them from their greatest fear, putting it behind them.

"We did it," Zuria sighed in relief. "No more worrying."

Spock nodded in response, clearing his throat as he reached into his pocket, pulling out the small box that had been pressed against his thigh since that morning. Zuria's eyes widened when she saw it, her lips parting.

"I know that we are technically… engaged, in human terms, but I desired something to make our pending marriage more official." He told her, carefully opening the lid on the box. Within it was a platinum ring, a beautiful aqua colored gem set in it. "I decided that it would be appropriate to observe human tradition in this instance."

"Spock," Zuria breathed, reaching out for the ring and easily sliding it onto her finger. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"I am afraid that I must disagree with you in that respect, Zuria." He informed her, a hint of a playful grin on his face. "In regards to me, that title is strictly reserved for you."

Zuria smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you, Spock. I always will."

"I return each sentiment that you just expressed," He responded, folding her into an embrace. "I love you as well."

His lips pressed against hers, sealing their promises with a kiss. Though he was unable to predict the future, Spock was certain that the happiness he and Zuria shared was only at its beginning.

* * *

**_Hey guys!_**

**_Oh man. I just don't even know what to say, so I won't say anything other than this: college. I'm so happy to have finally finished this story! I'm incredibly proud of it, and I'm glad that I changed the epilogue; the first one I wrote just didn't flow. Hopefully you'll all be pleased with this one._**

**_I've received quite a few inquiries about a sequel to AAL. I do have a sequel thought out, and I'm currently spending time planning it in more detail. However, I won't have time to focus on it until this summer. In the meantime, I've been working on several of the M-rated Sylaire one-shots that I've mentioned. They're definitely not something to miss if you ship them, or if you just love ZQ as much as I do; after all, what better way to atone for my lack of fanfiction activity than to offer up some steamy Sylar goodness?_**

**_Hehe, that's what I thought._**

**_Before I tie off AAL, let me just say that you've all been amazing and supportive as readers. I greatly appreciate all of your reviews, and I take the time to read each and every one of them, even if I can't respond to all of them. Needless to say, I wouldn't have been able to accomplish all of this without you guys, so thank you very much!_**

**_Until next time, dear readers!_**

**_-Harley_**


End file.
